


Ian's Smile

by hbub1201



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Angst?, First work - Freeform, Full Blown Relationship, Love, M/M, Mickey's Unapologetically Badass, Multi, Set after 3x07, The Balls - Freeform, The Gallaghers - Freeform, The Milkovichs, old fic, sickeningly sweet and fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2015-06-27
Packaged: 2018-03-31 11:05:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 194,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3975757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hbub1201/pseuds/hbub1201
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey and Ian finally talk about West Point, even if the whole Gallagher family are there to hear it. As it turns out - thats just the beginning! Sorry about the constant flicking between past/present tense, I'm a newbie.</p><p>(Summary lifted straight from FanFiction.net because I suck at writing them, but it does get much bigger than that conversation and West Point really isn't that big a part of it later on).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The West Point Conversation

They had slowly been getting back to the way they were before Terry had found them. Obviously a lot had changed but they needed each other and they were both trying hard to make things normal between them again. They were more careful now but Mickey wasn't shutting Ian out. If anything he was more determined than ever to stop anything like that happening again. He wanted to protect Ian, he never wanted to see pain in his eyes again and that included the pained look he got whenever Mickey was distant or tried to end things. Mickey didn't want things to end, the thought of not having Gallagher beside him hurt him more than he could admit even to himself, but he knew that he was trouble. He knew he meant danger for Ian, his family was danger for Ian. But Ian didn't see it that way, the way he saw it, he was never more safe, more protected, than when Mickey was by his side. When Mickey had his back nothing could touch him. And so they had clung to whatever scraps of normality they could and begun building back up to the carefree teenagers they had once been together.

That all changed when Lip stormed into The Kash and Grab, when Ian had gone to pick up a prescription for Linda.

"Your brothers not here." Mickey announced the second he realised it was Lip and he wasn't there as a paying customer.

"Yeah I figured as much when I saw him leave twenty minutes ago." Lip responded, ever the smart ass. "Firstly, I know you're fucking Ian, just wanna get that out the way so when I say what I gotta say you're gonna listen and not waste time pretending like you don't give a shit."

Mickey feigned shock. He knew Lip knew, Ian had told him when they first properly talked through everything that had happened between them. After Mickey had finally dropped his guard and responded to Ian's constant advances. Mickey had told Ian everything Terry had done once he had left. He'd told him how the only reason he'd fucked the Russian back was because he knew it was the only way to get Ian out of there alive. And once that was done he didn't have the strength to pretend anymore so his dad had to find new ways to beat him straight. Ian let slip that he had talked to his brother about why he was in such a state, said he had confided in Lip once before, when he had first gone to juvie, but that he hadn't told him anything about what had happened to Mickey because it wasn't his secret to tell. All his brother knew was that they'd been found out and that Ian was not OK, but that he would be.

"Took you twenty minutes to grow the balls to come in here and say all that?" Mickey looked up from his magazine to Lip, he was uncomfortable and defensive, like Mickey could attack at any minute. But Mickey knew he would do anything to protect his brother so it wasn't fear he saw in Lip's eyes, it was determination. That's something Mickey could respect.

"Yeah, kinda wish I'd taken longer though cause now I'm here I don't know how to put this." Lip fidgeted before jumping onto the counter and grabbing a pack of smokes. He sat there on the counter, back to Mickey, for a few minutes before either of them spoke again.

"The genius is speechless, huh?" Mickey smirked, "This must be good."

Again there was a silence.

"Look, I'm assuming this is about your brother and I'm guessing you don't want him to fucking know about it so you're gonna have to spit it out quick before he fucking gets back." By the look on Lip's face Mickey knew where this conversation was headed, he didn't fucking like it.

"OK, fuck it." Lip announced sharply as he jumped off the counter and spun round to face a quickly angering Milkovich. "I don't know what the fuck you and Ian are to each other, and I don't know if you even care but Ian's been talking about West Point for years now and I'm not gonna let him give up on his dream for a quick fuck every time you forget about hating the fact that you're fucking gay." Lip didn't let out a single breath as he spoke, almost as if he was afraid that if he stopped for even a fraction of a second he would lose his nerve.

Mickey could have lost it at any number of things Lip had said. He could have punched him for assuming Mickey was just after some quick fuck, for thinking Mickey didn't care. He could have pounced when Lip had dared to fucking judge him, had dared to say the word 'gay', something not even Ian said in in front of Mickey because he wasn't ready to deal with that reality yet. He had already come to terms with what he was but he didn't need people labeling it, not now, not after his dad had once again tainted those words beyond repair. Mickey could have lectured Lip about not knowing shit, about keeping his fucking nose out of things he didn't understand. But he didn't, because the only words he could focus on were 'give up on his dream'. Mickey knew all about Ian Gallagher and his fucking dream, he knew and he hated it. The thought of his Gallagher getting shot to shit in some foreign country scared him, made him sick to his stomach. So why did the thought of him giving up that dream make him feel even worse. And why was Lip acting like it was Mickey's fucking fault.

"Look, Mickey, if you care about my brother..." Lip started to say, but Mickey couldn't hear that. He couldn't hear how the only thing he could do to make sure Ian got to keep his dream was to end them for good, end whatever it was they shared. He had tried to end it and failed and now he never wanted it to stop because it felt too fucking good, and he was too addicted to that feeling. He cut Lip off by jumping up from his seat behind the counter. Lip moved backwards, away from a potential attack, but Mickey didn't lash out. He walked past Lip and out the door without so much as releasing his breath.

 

-x-

 

"What the fuck did you say to him?" Ian stormed into the Gallagher house and pinned Lip against the wall as he strode towards him from the kitchen. He didn't want to shout in front of the rest of his family but he couldn't help it. He was frantic with worry because Mickey wasn't answering his phone, he was ignoring him again and Ian couldn't survive it, not this time. "Linda said Mickey stormed out of the store after you said something to him, he didn't come back and he hasn't spoken to me since. He was fucking fine this morning so what the fuck did you say to him?" Ian was as angry as he had ever been and Lip knew he couldn't fight back when his brother was like this.

The Gallagher's all stopped what they were doing, they stared at Ian with worried eyes as Lip pushed his brothers hands away from his throat so he could respond. "Ian, just calm down OK?" He pleaded.

"Fuck you, what did you do?" Ian was livid but he was also upset, he had been searching for Mickey since his shift ended hours ago. Tears stung his eyes as he thought of all the things that could be going through Mickey's head, all the reasons Lip could have given him to end things.

"I didn't get a fucking chance to do anything, he just stormed out." Lip breathed deeply when Ian released his grip on him and ran his shaking hands threw his ginger locks. He was still ignoring all the other Gallaghers as he looked back at Lip, eyes telling him he better continue with his explanation. "I just went there to talk to him about you, for years you've been going on about West Point, like fighting for your fucking country is all that matters. Now all of a sudden you're missing ROTC weekends and not paying attention to your grades. I'm not an idiot Ian, I know whats brought this on and obviously so does Mickey otherwise he wouldn't have left."

"You don't know fucking anything..." Ian started before the door slammed open and in stormed Mandy Milkovich.

"What the fuck has happened to my brother?" She demanded, staring intently at Ian.

He could see all of his family silently screaming for an explanation. They knew Ian and Mickey worked together but they didn't know how anything to do with the Milkovich boy could cause this reaction in Ian. He was saved from having to explain when Mandy continued her tirade. "I get some weird fucking text from you asking where he is, telling me to give him some cryptic ass message when I see him. Then when I do manage to get hold of him and mention your name he starts fucking screaming and hangs up on me. Something has been going on for fucking ages and its obvious none of you are going to tell me what the hell it is until I fucking ask so this is me asking?"

"I just need to find him, I just need to talk to him first, OK " Ian tried to show just how desperate he was for Mandy to drop the subject. If he ever got Mickey to talk to him again only for the older boy to realise he's practically outed him, not only to the whole Gallagher family but also to his own sister, then he was sure he would lose him for good.

"No, fuck that, what's so fucking urgent?" Mandy may have asked the question but everyone in the room wanted the answer, an answer Ian didn't have the strength to give.

Ian didn't know what to do so he stared at the only person who knew anything about the situation. He may have been furious at Lip but he was still hoping to find some resolution in his face. Lip took one look at his brother's desperate eyes and held up his hands in surrender.

"OK, first, this is my fault, so lay off Ian. Alright, I fucked up." Lip scanned around the room, looking everyone in the eye and demanding their attention. Once he had it he could see Ian relax slightly and he took a deep breath before he continued his, admittedly simplified, explanation. "I just noticed Ian was starting to slack on his West Point initiative and I panicked because I don't want him to miss out on his dream, so instead of bringing it up with him I took it out on someone else, someone I shouldn't have. I said some things to Mickey that I shouldn't have, OK " His admission to the others doubled as an apology to his brother. His eyes begged Ian to understand, to forgive, but Ian was too frantic, too lost. He just needed Mickey, he just needed to know where they stood, that they still stood together.

"You know that none of that makes sense, right?" Fiona interjected, she had her hands on her hips and her head tilted slightly to the side. Vee was standing next to her, one hand on her shoulder urging her to keep calm and not jump to conclusions. Kev and Jimmy were sat at the kitchen table, beers in hand, failing miserably to pretend they weren't interested in the conversation taking place in the next room. Carl and Debbie were both kneeling on the sofa, eyes flicking from Ian to Lip. Even Liam was silent, sat on the floor in front of the sofa, alternating between trying to stuff a whole crayon in his mouth and colouring the table with it. "Forgetting how the hell Mickey Milkovich is involved with all this," she turns from Lip to Ian, "Why the hell are you giving up on West Point?"

"He's fucking not!"

Ian hadn't realised that Mandy had left the door open when she barged in. He hadn't noticed Mickey walk in, didn't know how long he had been standing there, how much he'd heard. But he did know he was fucked. Even if he heard nothing but Fiona's last question, it was enough for him to know that everyone currently in the Gallagher house, including his fucking sister, knew there was something going on with Ian that involved Mickey. If this wasn't enough to push the older boy away then Lip's earlier visit was. Ian wanted to rush forward and grab him, make sure he couldn't leave. But he didn't want to make things worse and he knew he'd have to let go sometime. So he just stood there, silent and still. Willing the Milkovich standing in front of him to say something, anything to put his mind at ease. But fearing the worst when Mickey just glared, as silent as he was but twice as angry.

Lip opened his mouth to speak but Mickey spun to face him, silently telling him to shut the fuck up, then he turned his attention back to Ian and finally spoke. "You're not backing out now, you want West Point so bad, well you're fucking going." Mickey's anger seemed to dissolve into something else, Ian didn't quite know what but it sounded like acceptance, there was a force behind his words that he didn't understand. He thought people would be happy at the thought of him not marching off to fucking war. And with that realisation, coupled with Mickey's disappearing act, his own anger was back.

"Do I get a fucking say in that?" Everyone else forgotten, his comment was directed at Mickey and Mickey alone.

"You already made your choice, what you chickening out? You fucking scared Gallagher?" Mickey knew what he was doing, he was good at this. Winding people up, pushing their buttons, getting them angry, making them honest.

"Fuck you, what the hell do you know Mr 'Fucked for Life'?" Ian was hurting, he knew where this was going and he was putting up his barriers now so Mickey wouldn't get to see him break.

"What you wanna be like me?" Mickey shouted, enraged but not insulted. He knew what he was, he also knew Gallagher was better than that.

"Don't you fucking dare!"

"What? Don't be fucking honest? Thought that was what you wanted Gallagher!"

"Like you know anything about honesty!" Ian sniped.

"Here's something honest, you're a fucking coward!" Mickey yelled as he raised a hand to point to Ian.

"Oh," Ian snorted. "Coming from the guy who hasn't been honest about himself a single day in his whole fucking life!" Self preservation be damned, Ian was angry, he wanted to give as good as he got, hurt Mickey like he was hurting. He was desperate for it not to end but he wasn't going to fucking beg because he knew it wouldn't do any good.

"At least I know what the fuck I am. You, you're all fucking talk. But when it comes down to it you run the fuck away!"

"I'm not fucking running!"

"What would you call it then? West Point's just around the fucking corner and you're running fucking scared!"

"I'm not fucking scared of West Point?"

"No?"

"No!"

"What are you fucking scared of then?"

"Oh I gotta be fucking scared of something just because I don't wanna go?"

"It's not that you ever wanted to go, it's that you wanted to fucking come back." Mickey yelled finally, as he stalked forward into Ian's space, he looked directly into the younger boys eyes as he continued. "Come back having done something fucking spectacular. Something be proud of, to make everyone here fucking proud. Like you owe them that, like you fucking owe anyone fucking anything!" Mickey spat out, rage refusing to subside.

"Mickey..." Ian didn't know when he lost his own anger but it was gone now. Mickey was talking to him with such a resounding honesty that he felt the tears in his eyes again, he fought them back. "Please..."

"No, fuck that. When you talk about leaving, about West Point, you're just saying the fucking words, saying what you gotta to convince everyone else. Its when you talk about coming back, about coming fucking home to this shit hole, that's when you damn well smile. That's when your fucking eyes light up and you forget about convincing anyone else. That's what your working so fucking hard for!" Mickey held Ian's gaze and dared him to deny it, to argue with him.

He may not be wrong, but that doesn't mean he's right either. Ian doesn't know if he really gets it. He has to make him understand. "It's not just them Mickey, that I think about coming home to... you know that right?" He looks to the floor so he can't see Mickey's reaction, he's crossing a line that they don't cross. He knows that but he can't stop.

Mickey's on a roll, he's too far gone to answer Gallagher's question. He doesn't even think he knows the answer, either that or he does and it frightens him. So he acts like the question was never asked, he continues where he left off. "You're not fucking giving that up Gallagher. Not because you've found a new fucking version of settled that you don't wanna give up." Not because he's found Mickey. "You're gonna go and you're not gonna get your ass blown off or I will fucking kill you myself. It's gonna be fucking hard and you'll probably wanna quit a whole bunch of times. But you won't. And then after you've finished proving your fucking point you'll come back and have some big, gay ass emotional reunion and you'll forget all about how fucking hard it was and you'll get that stupid fucking smile on your face again. The one you get now when you're just fucking thinking about it. Only then it will be fucking bigger, because there wont be any of the worry or fucking impatience. You fucking need that smile Gallagher... You fucking deserve that at least."

Mickey pauses for breath, he knows he's said too much, let too much show, but he wants Gallagher to have the world and he knows he can't give it to him.

"Mick..." Ian, is still fighting the tears, he doesn't know what he wants to say, he just wants Mickey to stop talking. He knows whats coming next, he knows that this is the excuse Mickey's been looking for, his excuse to end things between them.

"No! This..." he sighs, "I... am not worth that fucking dream so you so much as even fucking THINK about giving up on that for this," he waves his arms between the two of them, "Whatever that fuck this is, and it will end, I will fucking end it before you've even finished the fucking thought. You understand me?"

Relief washes over Ian like a tidal wave, he's not ending it. And then he realises what Mickey is acknowledging for the first time.

"So this is something?" He says, daring a small smile as he looks to the black-haired, blue eyed 'thug' in front of him.

"That's what you fucking took from that?" Mickey looks incredulously back at Ian.

"Mick, I understand OK. I get it, and you're right, about all of it. It is important, and I'm not giving it up. Not now, not ever. I promise." And Ian means that, every word, because now he has Mickey behind him, he has the strength for all of it. But he also needs to make himself clear, a determination takes over him before he next opens his mouth. "But... Mick... It's not just them I wanna come home to. You do get that right?"

He doesn't, and he doesn't want to because it's too good to be true, and it will all end painfully. Its just a matter of time.

"You're just..."

Ian knows what he's going to say as soon as he stops thinking and opens his mouth to speak. "No, fuck you." He shouts with renewed anger. "You don't get to do that. You don't get to lecture me about my own fucking dreams and thoughts and feelings and then tell me I'm too young to know know how I feel about you. Or that I might change my mind once I'm away from here, away from you! I won't!" He's never been more sure of anything in his life, so he pushes further, "I need to know what this something is because I can't leave if it means leaving it behind. I can't go if I don't get to come back to it."

But Mickey's just as stubborn, and in his mind, much less naive. Gallagher's not going to put up with him much longer and he isn't going to change, he doesn't know how. All Mickey has to do is remind him of that, he just needs to push back. "Do you even remember all the shit I've caused you?" He shouts with no real malice.

"I remember everything Mickey. I remember you gave the gun back, I remember you didn't turn me away when I came to your door a fucking mess because of Monica turning up. I remember shotgunning beers, you laughing and telling me about the time you pissed on first base, you accepting the job at the Kash and Grab even though you coulda got more money from the job Iggy found you. I remember you punching a cop because I begged you not to kill Frank. I remember you saying I was nothing but a warm mouth to you."

Ian tried to reach out to Mickey, to rest his hands on his shoulders, to pull him closer, or at least hold him still. But Mickey shrugged him off. The red-headed Gallagher was a vicious mixture of angry and upset. At the same time as tears were threatening to fall, his hands were bunching into fists ready to knock some sense into idiot in front of him. But Mickey wouldn't look at him, and he couldn't look around at the people he was painfully aware of watching them. All he could do was look at the floor and stop the memories flooding back.

"Enough..." Mickey barked, he didn't want to hear anymore. "Fucking... Just enough," he tried not to sound desperate but Ian's words were ringing in his ears. And he wasn't stopping.

"I remember both times you were in juvie because of me, the first time I didn't so much as look at anyone else because I couldn't stop thinking about you. And the second time, after you ripped my fucking heart out..." Ian paused then because he didn't know how Mickey would react to that. They hadn't talked about that time, hadn't talked about feelings, especially in front of others. But Mickey didn't react, just looked deeper into the floor and gripped one of his elbows with his other hand. "I slept with whoever the fuck I felt like just to get you the hell out of my head. Because I believed every fucking word and I hated you for it." As Ian remembered that feeling he felt sick, he felt like he was going to break all over again.

"I didn't..." When Ian paused Mickey tried to take the opportunity to explain himself. But Ian didn't need his explanations, not now he had something to say.

"Then I remember you turning up at the bleachers and acting like none of it fucking happened. I should have been angry, I should have wanted answers. But all I could think about in that moment was you being back and me feeling whole for the first time in months. I remember you saying you missed me and all of my emotions were ready to explode with fucking happiness until you made that stupid remark about fucking in juvie and being glad to be out, like that's all it was. And just like that I was back to being nothing. I remember you fucking Angie Zago and feeling sick with anger or jealousy or maybe both..." He looked at Mickey to try and judge his reaction, to see if the answer was in his face. But Mickey didn't have anything to say to that, so he stayed quiet.

"... Then I remember you messing with me, flirting almost. I remember you making comments about Lloyd and hoping to god that it was out of jealousy because that would mean that I did mean something. Then you showed up outside the bar and I didn't for a second even think about not following you when the guy called the cops because the only person I ever want to be around is you."

He was being more honest than he had ever been, and it was the most real they had ever been together. Ian was standing still but his legs itched to get closer to Mickey, to hold onto him so he couldn't run away. But Mickey couldn't have run if he wanted to, he didn't know how to leave Gallagher anymore. But he really didn't like what this was building to and he didn't want to remember anymore.

"You're talking about this shit like I wasn't fucking there. I lived it too Gallagher. I remember it... I fucking know."

"Oh yeah?" Ian snorted, because how could Mickey know, they never talked about it, "Then you know that the day you helped me set up the assault course was one of the best days of my life because it was so natural, so fucking easy for you to be comfortable around me. You looked fucking happy that day, god knows I bloody was. And just when I thought that maybe that was it, that was how it would always be with us, casual, a glorified fucking friendship that I was strangely OK with because it meant I got to have you at least a little bit. Just when I realised I would rather have nothing with you than have everything with anybody else, you fucking kissed me and I was right back to hoping for more." Single tear drops from each eye fell down his cheeks at the memory of better days, easier days, but he just wiped them away and carried on. "Then I remember you asking me if I wanted to get away from the group home, inviting me over, watching films I was really not paying attention to because all I wanted to look at was you. I remember the best night of my fucking life," Ian took a deep breathe as his voice went deeper, full of regret and fear, "Then I remember your dad."

"That's fucking enough" Mickey interrupted, he didn't want Gallagher to remember that, he couldn't protect either of them when it happened, and it almost broke him, he almost let his dad win, he almost lost Ian. He didn't care that the others in the room were hearing this, the ones he needed to protect from it were himself and Ian, his Ian. He stepped forward and grabbed the shaking Gallagher's shirt, "Stop now while you're still fucking breathing Gallagher."

"No." Ian shouted defiantly, because he wasn't remembering Mickey fail, he was remembering the older boy saving his life and he needed Mickey to see it that way too. "I remember you jumping on his back to get him off me, you getting his attention, his anger, back onto you every time he looked at me or pointed the gun in my direction." Mickey hadn't failed Ian, as far as Ian was concerned it was the other way around. "I remember not being able to look at you even though you were the only thing I wanted to fucking see. And then the first time I tried to talk to you afterwards you ripped my heart out again, without fucking words this time because you wouldn't look at me, wouldn't talk to me and just like that it was over. You were gone..." His words stuck in his throat when fresh tears fell.

"Gallagher..." Mickey whispered as he loosened his grip on the others boy shirts, he dropped his head to stare back at the floor.

"But then I found you again, and it wasn't over. And I've never been so fucking happy in my entire life. Because we are fucking something, I know we are... Please... Mickey..." He was begging now, voice gone soft and gentle, anger replaced by desperation. He rested his hands on Mickey's hips. Finally making the contact he was craving.

"I didn't fuck her," still looking at the floor, Mickey elaborated, "Angie, I didn't fuck her"

Ian laughed a joyless laugh. "That's all you fucking took from that?" His smile faded almost instantly. Even though there was once a time when he wanted so badly to hear those words, right now there more important questions he needed answering, more important things he needed Mickey to say. But Mickey had to start somewhere so Ian didn't push him, he let him carry on, hoping beyond hope that there was more.

"That fucking paedo bitch said something about love being called a mistake and I couldn't fucking think straight." He let out a defeated laugh before he continued to say "Turns out I couldn't act it either because the second I got in her fucking house I drank all her dads whiskey, then when she went upstairs to her room I told her I'd be up in a minute then fucking bolted out the door."

"Nice Mick. Real classy." His smile lasted longer this time but his eyes willed Mickey to carry on.

"Didn't mean what I said either." He looked up and met Ian's eyes again. "After Frank walked in on us it got too fucking real. I needed you to fucking hate me, or to forget atleast. Or I needed to forget." Mickey ran his hands through his hair, exhausted from the fidgeting, exhausted from the conversation. "I don't fucking know." He grunted with frustration, as his eyes wondered around the room, suddenly aware of all the shocked faces judging him. Then Ian shifted his body so he was all the older boy could see and Mickey continued, wanting to get the words out before he lost his nerve. "I needed to believe what I said," he sighed, "but I couldn't because it was never fucking true."

He lost his nerve, he couldn't think anymore. He had no more words and too many thoughts. A small part of him hoped Ian would leave it at that, accept it and move on, a bigger part of him knew that wouldn't happen.

"Mickey?" Ian all but begged him to continue. He voice just as exhausted as Mickeys, tears still stinging his eyes.

"Fuck! OK Alright. You're right, we are something. I know that's not enough, especially for your fucking family, who want the fucking world for you," he gestured his arms around the room before scraping them down his face to hide his pleading eyes. "But it's all I got Ian, maybe all I ever will have." His eyes desperately searched Ian's for confirmation that it was enough. When he couldn't decipher Ian's reaction he had to continue, he had to give a little bit more, he had to give everything he knew how. "It won't be fucking over just because you leave. And it will still be here... shit... I will still be here when you get fucking back." That last few words came out as more of a question than a statement and Mickey wanted Ian to just say something, anything, to give him some kind of answer.

All Ian could hear, at first, was his name. His name on Mickey's lips, like it belonged there. It was a sound he hadn't even realised he was longing for until Mickey had said it, so softly, so afraid. Then it hit him that Mickey was afraid, just as afraid as he was and that this thing between them wasn't something either of them had control over. Suddenly the rest of Mickeys words reached his ears and he just couldn't stop himself. The rest of the world, their fucked up history, his family and Mandy surrounding them with looks of confusion, all of it disappeared as he threw himself forward and cupped Mickeys face with his hands. He pulled the older boy forward and breathed his name as he crashed their lips together. It was no longer than the kiss Mickey had given him in the van, but it was deeper somehow. They pulled apart breathing heavily and Ian refused to let go of Mickey's face in case he took the opportunity to bolt. He leaned his forehead against his lover's and breathed him in as best he could.

"Fuck," he panted, "it's enough Mickey." He brought his eyes up to meet the other boys, "it's more than fucking enough."

Relief washed over Mickey as soon as Ian said the words. The closeness that would have once sent Mickey fleeing was now the only thing that kept him grounded. He needed it, he needed Ian. He brought his hands up to rest on Ian's cheeks, mirroring the younger boys hold on him. He looked deep into his eyes for a few more seconds before he brought their lips together again. Unlike their previous kisses this one lasted for as long as the two boys could make it without coming up for air. Ian immediately responded to Mickeys movements and parted his lips so that Mickey could deepen the kiss. It was passionate and full of promise. One of Mickey's hands held onto the back of Ian's neck, with the other resting firmly on his lower back. Ian's arms moved around Mickeys neck and rested on his shoulders, not tightly but with enough of a grip to stop the other boy should he try to move away. But Mickey didn't pull away, not even when they broke for air. He smiled against Ian's open lips and kissed him once again. A quick peck that caused the red head to laugh and open his eyes to look back at Mickey. He watched as Mickey took in the forms of all the people around them, the older boy exhaled a breath and rested his forehead back against Ian's.

"OK, don't take this the wrong way Gallagher but I need to get the fuck out of here." His tone was soft, the words whispered but they still filled the otherwise silent room. He stepped away from Ian and his voice returned to normal as he continued. "I need to fucking shoot something, or hit something. Shit, I dunno, just need to do fucking something."

Ian didn't miss a beat before he asked, almost pleadingly, "Can I come?"

Mickey turned to smirk at the younger boy. "Would you even listen if I said fucking no?"

Ian returned the smirk, "Would you want me to?"

"Well come the fuck on then." Mickey said with no malice, his smirk transforming into a smile against his will.

Ian smiled brightly, a smile that only Mickey could draw out of him. He followed after his Milkovich immediately, leaving all explanations to his family for another time. Right now he needed Mickey more than they needed answers.


	2. Franks Contribution

"Wanna talk about what just happened?" Ian knows not to push Mickey but he also knows that the boy walking beside him isn't going to run. He believes every word the other said to him and he's feeling secure for the first time in a long time, he just needs to make sure Mickey is OK too.

"We not said enough for one fucking day?" Mickey huffs, he's tired and talked out. He knows Gallagher's got more to say but he's antsy and he needs to stop thinking before he overloads.

"You're not mad at me?" The younger boy chances a glance at his lover, he's not scared anymore but he knows they crossed a lot of lines that Mickey wasn't ready to cross, he knows it was his fault. Mickey gives him a puzzled look so Ian raises his arms into an apologetic shrug and elaborates "For outing you to everyone... To Mandy?"

"Honestly?" Mickey's features soften, cocking his head to the side, his steps on the pavement not faltering for a second. "Wouldn't matter if I was, not like I didn't mean everything I fucking said in there." He wouldn't walk away now, no matter how mad he got.

Ian smiles. "Matters to me."

"Jesus Gallagher!" It's like he can't let anything slide without bringing emotions into it, and he knows exactly how to play Mickey, exactly what look to give him to get the older boy to play along. "Not mad, agitated." He states honestly. "Just need to do something, hit something, stop thinking for a fucking second."

Ian's smile turns into a smirk as he grabs Mickey's shoulder and turns him around to face him. "Do something, huh?" He raises his eyebrows and waits for his lovers response.

Mickey laughs, sincere and hearty. He looks around and pushes his tongue into the corner of his mouth, "Wanna at least go someplace a bit more private?"

Ian's smile doesn't falter and Mickey snorts. The two boys start walking again, both staring straight ahead. That is until Ian remembers the thought that started this conversation off. He turns back to Mickey and almost whispers, "You know we gotta face 'em all eventually, they're gonna have a lot of questions."

But Mickey isn't gonna turn this back around, not now. He knows he's got people to answer to, explanations to give and really he knows he should be freaking out more than he is. But honestly, hes too relieved, still on a high from Gallagher's words and happy to finally know where they both stand, to have everything out in the open. No, right now he's just gotta live for the moment and the moment requires something a bit more light-hearted.

"Better make this worth it then." He smirked at the younger boy beside him, rubbing his thumb along the corner of his mouth in the way that drives Ian crazy.

The Gallagher boy just smiled in return, he launched himself at Mickey and barely shoved him into the small alley by the side of the, thankfully, deserted street before his lips were on the older boys and his hands were tugging at his jeans. Challenge accepted.

 

-x-

 

"What the fuck was that?" Fiona was standing in the spot Mickey and Ian had just left from, as if this held some sort of answer. She had one hand on her hip and one pointed to the front door. "You knew about this?" She twisted her body to look at Lip, unable to hide her concern and unwilling to mask her anger. Her brother had obviously been through a lot, things he should never have had to go through alone. He should have been able to talk to her, to trust her. Lip should have clued her in to their brother's struggles.

"I knew they fucked, I had no idea there were those kind of feelings involved. Its Micky Milkovich for fucks sake, didn't know he knew feelings!" Lip wasn't thinking about what he was saying, he was trying to lighten the mood, to appease his sister, who was obviously less than impressed with this turn of events. He regretted his words the minute he remembered who else was in the room.

"Hey fuck you, my brothers been through shit that would have you crying in a fucking corner. He doesn't have the Gallagher family back-up, he's done it all a-fucking-lone!" Mandy's thoughts mirrored Fiona's. She knew immediately why her brother had hidden this from her, didn't blame him, but she hated the thought of him living with this alone for however long he had been. Living in the Milkovich home with her homophobic father and bigoted brothers, surrounded by hate that none of them knew was actually directed straight at Mickey. "Shit, my brothers gay, he's fucking gay... Oh my god, my dad... he'll fucking kill him if he finds out."

"Ummm, yeah, Terry knows," Lip could feel the atmosphere in the room drop, everyone was scared of those words. He tried to say them calmly, innocently even, but the sentiment was the same. Terry knew, which meant bad things for Ian and Mickey. "He... umm... caught them that night Ian snuck out of the group home." He gestured with his hands to try and subtly tell the adults in the room exactly what he meant by 'caught' them. Debbie obviously got it too because her face immediately turned to a scowl and she covered her eyes as if to stop an image forming.

Mandy sank onto the bottom step and held her head in her hands as she remembered that morning she had come home. Come home to her father swearing, to Mickey screaming 'fuck off' to her the second she walked into the living room. She had thought at the time that he was being an asshole, but he was actually doing what he always did, he was pushing her away. Shielding her from her dad's anger and making sure she didn't get caught in the crossfire. Mickey was good at that, at getting his dad to direct all of his anger onto him, he had started doing it when Terry got drunk and hit their mum. Iggy could handle himself, but their other brothers still looked to Mickey when Terry got that look in his eyes like he was itching for a fight. Even though they were older they would look to Mickey, or to Iggy, and neither would hesitate to take the punches. That's what her brothers were like, growing up as a Milkovich meant you had your siblings back because they were the only people who had yours. It wasn't like with the Gallagher's, where Frank would disappear for weeks on end and they could get on with their lives. Terry was always there and Mickey was his prodigy, this would normally be a good thing for a child, to be his father's favourite. But all it meant for Mickey was that he never got away with anything, his father watched him like a hawk and every fight he lost he got beat for. Every job he failed he had to pay for. Every mistake he made he was punished for, so he never made that mistake again. And unlike the Gallagher's, unlike Ian, Mickey couldn't lean on his siblings for support because none of them could take on Terry, none of them would even try, they would take on the rest of the world with him but they wouldn't touch their dad. But now everything was worse, so much worse because Mickey was gay, now he wouldn't even have his brothers anymore, he would have no one because no one outside the family liked the Milkovich's and no Milkovich would accept a 'fag'.

Mandy couldn't stop the tears, she cried for brother, for being so stupid. For being so quick to brush off Terry's latest bout of violence towards Mickey as nothing unusual. She cried when she realised just what had happened to her brother the day she came home to find Terry's knuckles stained with blood, the equally as bloody baseball bat clutched in his fists as he walked past her and out the door. Mickey's door stayed shut for the rest of the day, when she finally saw him again his face had mostly healed but he obviously had trouble walking. She had brushed it off at the time and called him a pussy, now she cried as she realised he couldn't even count on her.

Everyone had heard her sobs but no one was willing to comfort an unstable Milkovich. They all looked at each other as they wordlessly asked what the hell they could do, what they could say. Debbie huffed out an annoyed grunt and jumped off the sofa, she stalked over to Mandy and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she sank onto the step next to her. She gave Lip an annoyed glare as she rubbed at Mandy's shoulders and whispered that it would be OK.

Fiona may have felt sorry for the sobbing girl in her house but she couldn't think about that now because she was more concerned about her brother. Ian was more important to her than Mickey and unlike the neighborhood thug, he wouldn't be able to defend himself against the Milkovich's. "So, what the hell do we do now? What is Terry gonna do to Ian?" She tried send Lip a glare of her own but she saw he was just as worried about their ginger haired sibling as she was.

"I dunno, Ian says its all OK now, says he's OK." He wants to be able to say more but he can't, he doesn't know anything else. He just shrugs his shoulders and shifts his weight onto his other foot. Looking from Fiona to Vee and trying to convince them that that's all he has to offer.

Vee must have seen the sincerity in his stare because she responds next. "Alright, so Ian seems to think he has this under control, do we give him the benefit of the doubt here?" Her hands are on her hips and she means business. Ian might not be her brother but he damn well is family.

"Ian's safe." Mandy looks up from her knees and scrapes her hand through her hair. "The other day my dad heard me mention Ian and he looked like he wanted to kill someone, Mickey saw it and made some stupid ass remark about my dad needing a fucking hobby, got too much time on his hands getting all pissed off at people. I didn't think much of it at the time, thought Mickey was just itching for a fight, guess there was more to it after all." She let out an aggressive laugh before continuing, "Mickey obviously cares about Ian, so you don't have to fucking worry, he'll be fine, my dad won't get the chance to touch him."

She seemed so confident that Fiona almost believed her. But it's not enough, she can't take that risk. "And what about when Mickey's not there to distract him? What about when your bloody brothers decide to join the fight? He gonna take on all of them too?"

"If he has to!" Mandy's angry now, shes shouting, she won't let the Gallagher's look down on Mickey, underestimate him.

"No, we can't take that risk, we gotta do something." Fiona looks to Jimmy for support. He and Kev have moved to stand either side of Veronica. Both look concerned but also completely at a loss. Kev know's the Milkovich's too well to consider going up against them. Jimmy, on the other hand, doesn't know them well enough to know what kind of a threat they pose.

"Do something about what?" All faces turn to see Frank stumble into the room, mumbling and slurring as he tries to lower himself onto the couch.

"None of your fucking business," Lip moves to throw Frank out but Fiona pulls him back, the last thing they need is another fight breaking out. They have more important things to deal with and Frank will just pass out any minute anyway.

"HA, family business is my business, I am the head of this household!" He shouts as he holds a bottle of whiskey above his head, kicking Carl off of the sofa when he raises his legs to lay down.

Lip and Fiona roll their eyes, Debbie scowls at her dad and clutches Mandy harder, she has nearly stopped crying now but Debbie knows how similar her and Mickey are, knows she could bolt at any minute, she doesn't want her doing anything stupid like confronting her dad.

"Listen, if Terry was such a major threat wouldn't Ian have mentioned it to you? I mean if he was really that worried he wouldn't let any of you get caught in the crossfire right?" Jimmy finally pitches in. Fiona turns to him and thinks on his words, before she can reply though, Frank chimes in.

"Oooooooh, I see, finally get a clue did our Terry?" He laughs at a joke no one else heard. "That'll teach him, judging me. Just because my wife chose a different path to other women, not my fault. It was you kids that put too much pressure on her, she wouldn't have converted..." He says making air quotes with his hands, "If you kids hadn't been around."

"What did you do?" Lip's marching forward before he can stop himself, he lunges at Frank and catches his jaw with his fist. "Ian told me you caught them, what the fuck did you do?"

"Why do you just assume I did something?" Frank waves innocently in the air, he dodges another punch before pushing himself into a sitting position and exhaling slightly. "OK, so I may have made a tiny, tiny remark to him," he pinches his fingers together and looks at the only Gallagher he thinks won't try and kill him, Liam is, after all, too young to hate him yet. "I just told that son of a bitch that he had no right to judge OUR family when one of his own was more similar than he thinks to MY WIFE. If anything you should be THANKING me for sticking up for you lot, lord knows I didn't have to." He waves around the room again before lying back down against the arm of the sofa.

"When?" Mandy jumps up and Lip has to run to hold her back. "When the fuck did you talk to my dad?"

"Oh I dunno." Frank squirms and feigns sleep before Lip slaps his forehead and Debbie tells him to continue. "Fuuuck, OK it was a long time ago. I can't be blamed because he's probably forgotten by now."

"When!" Mandy repeats, voiced erupting with anger.

"Jesus, a couple of weeks ago. He was at the Alibi picking up booze for some run with his precious little Milkovich army. I was just trying to be friendly, asked if he wanted to share some of that booze, may have made a comment about his ex wife. He dared to tell me that I couldn't keep a woman like your mother happy, that I..." He accentuated the word with a jab to his own stomach, "Wasn't man enough. I simply suggested he take a closer look at Mickey and Ian's 'friendship'." He slunk back down at the end of his speech and pushed Lip's hand off of his shoulder so he could get more comfortable.

"That's why he came home fucking early! Iggy said something was eating at him the whole fucking trip, he came back to check on Mickey because of your shit head fucking father and you say my brother is the piece of shit?" Mandy yelled incredulously, the rage boiled up to a point where she couldn't be around this fucking family anymore so she pushed Lip away with more force than necessary and left without a second glance, slamming the door behind her.

Debbie ran and jumped on her fathers stomach, screaming as she hit him. "How could you do that to Ian, Terry could have killed him... How could you do that, he's Ian, he's your son!"

"No son of mine." Frank manages to gasp out between dodging Debbie's blows. It's Carl who hits Frank across the forehead with the thickest book he could find, Lip and Kev drag him onto the front step and Fiona locks the door behind them when they return to the living room.

After a few minutes more, going back and forth through their options, Lip managed to convince his family that they need to wait and talk to Ian. That he was the only one with any real answers, and that if him and Mickey were really not worried about Terry anymore, there had to be a reason. The family slumped down into their respective seats and focused on getting their head's round all the days developments. Lip was worrying that he was losing his brother, Fiona worrying that she had failed him. Debbie was worrying about what came next for Ian whilst Carl was fixated on the fact that Mickey Milkovich, thug extraordinaire, was so obviously soft for his big brother. Kev, Vee and Jimmy? Well they were just happy not to have missed the show, worried about what it would lead to, but happy to at least know what was going on.

 

-x-

 

Mickey and Ian were still coming down from their high, still smiling and laughing. Both now unwilling to break the mood by bringing up the angry family that waits for them at the Gallagher's. Their round in the alley had the desired affect, Mickey was no longer tense, so when he suggested some target practice it was more of an excuse to keep the moment going just a bit longer. To be just the two of them, with their new found normality, for just a little while more. As they ascended the stairs of the crumbling building, Ian trying to wind Mickey up by demanding he hold his hand, Mickey batting it away and giving him a half-assed death glare, they both felt like nothing could touch them. They were content.

Then Mickey rounded the corner and saw his little sister, slumped on the floor with her knees up to her stomach, arms wrapped around them pulling them closer, head resting on the top. She was staring at that stupid doll he liked to shoot at, so deep in thought that she didn't notice him, didn't notice Ian's concerned gasp. Mickey felt the wind knocked out of him because he had done that to the person he had sworn he would never let anyone hurt. And then he had walked away without any explanation, so wrapped up in his own need for Ian that he hadn't thought of her need for him.

He darted towards his sister and the noise snapped her out of her slump. She jumped to her feet and ran into her brothers arms, whispering incoherent words and desperate apologies. Mickey kept one arm around her waste as he pulled away and ran the other hand through her hair. He gave her a small smile, picked her up and pulled her back in, clinging on tight. Mandy wrapped her legs around her brother and held on for dear life, she needed to know he was OK, that he was still Mickey. He swung her around like he used to when she was younger and for the first time since she got that text off of Ian, Mandy laughed, because it was still Mickey. He was still her brother, the only one who dared to mess with her. His strong, familiar frame wasn't broken, but his eyes were worried. She looked deep into them as he lowered her to the floor, she saw the worry and she knew it wasn't for himself, she knew it was for her. Mandy scowled the deepest she could at that moment and pinched her brother hard on the shoulder.

"You ever lie to me again and I will end you, I swear to fucking god Mickey!" She shouted.

"You could fucking try," he retorts, smiling, provoking her.

As much as she loved her brother, Mandy also hated him sometimes, she rolled her eyes and sat back down. Glaring up at the pair in front of her when Ian moved to stand next to Mickey. "So..." She gestured her hands between them, "Care to fucking explain?"

Mickey sat down beside his sister and gently shoved at her shoulder. "I'm OK," he said. "I'm not gonna fucking break so you can stop with the fucking worrying." His softer than usual tone betrayed his harsh words.

"Mick, I..." Mandy started a sentence she couldn't finish. How could she apologize for all the times she had sat back and let her father hurt him for who he was. How can she excuse the fact that she hadn't guessed, hadn't even suspected he was struggling with something. He could read her like an open fucking book but she didn't even think there was anything to read with Mickey. She hated herself for it now but she just saw him as a sort of mini Terry. Albeit one she loved, and could trust with her life. She looked back to the floor and sighed, defeated.

Mickey flicked her. "Would you buck the fuck up!" He launched his hand at her again but she shoved it away. "Come on douche bag, don't tell me you've gone soft!" He smirked and wiped at her puffy cheeks. "What, you acting like a real fucking girl now? Crying and shit?"

"Fuck off." She snorted.

Ian coughed to get Mickey's attention and when the older boy glanced at him he gave him a look that screamed 'be fucking nice'. Mickey just stared right back, he knew his fucking sister, she didn't respond to nice, not from him. Ian rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips when he saw Mandy and Mickey turn back to each other. They were so alike and so different all at the same time, both ferocious and aggressive. But both more loyal than anyone he had ever met. He felt like maybe he shouldn't be there, like this was something they needed to talk out together but the second he turned to walk way and give the siblings some space Mandy spun her head to look at him.

"Don't even fucking think about it!" She gestured for him to sit the fuck down and he didn't dare disobey.

Mickey laughed at how easy it was for his sister to get the Gallagher to do what she wanted. He watched Ian sit down next to his sister and reach out his hand to hers. The gesture was enough to make her smile softly and take a deep calming breath. Ian raised his eyes to catch Mickey's gaze and the two boys looked at each other, their eyes boring into the others with a passion Mandy had never seen before. Mickey didn't want to look away but he knew that now had to be about Mandy, and he realised he couldn't avoid the questions, the emotions, the conversation anymore. He huffed out a breath and looked at his sister.

"How much do you know?" He asked. He could feel the tension rising within himself again, he knew how Mandy worked, how she thought. He knew she would be worried and he knew she would blame herself for shit that wasn't her fault. When he saw the frustrated look in her tear soaked eyes he made a silent promise to his only sister that no matter how long it took him, he would convince her that she had nothing to be sorry for.

"Not fucking enough, but maybe too fucking much." She felt bad for thinking it but if she went back to not knowing, then she wouldn't have to deal with the guilt, wouldn't have to fight back the anger when she saw her dad or every time her brothers made a stupid remark, ignorant to the whole situation. "Were you ever gonna tell me?"

"Not if I could fucking help it." He shrugged, no point lying now.

"Why the fuck aren't the two of you dead? I know dad knows," Mickey could see she was conflicted, like she wanted to be reassured that they were OK but she wasn't ready to deal with everything Terry had put them through, everything that had happened. Ian opened his mouth to speak but Mickey gave him a serious look, silently telling him now wasn't the time, he would tell his sister everything but not before she was ready to hear it.

Ian understood, he let out a small laugh, shrugged, then, as he flexed his arms and put on his best tough guy face, said with a sarctastic determination, "Don't worry Mands, I'll protect him."

Mickey rolled his eyes and Mandy snorted as she punched him in the arm. The tension between the three started to dissipate again. Mandy still had questions, more questions than either boy had answers to, so Mickey said the only thing he could think of that could hopefully trump them all, temporarily at least.

"You trust me?" Mickey asked seriously, his little sister looked into his eyes and nodded with complete certainty. "Good!" He then gave her a firm look before slowly leaning forward and daring her to doubt him when he said everything was gonna be fine. She couldn't.

 

-x-

 

The three sat there for what felt like hours, Mandy doing her best to piss off Mickey, half just to get a reaction and half to reassure herself that he really was OK. Mickey, for his part, played along and gave as good as he got. Ian knew he needed to go home, knew if Mandy had found out about Terry then so had his family and they would be freaking out. But he couldn't bring himself to walk away, he didn't want to, not now he was getting to see this side of Mickey again. He kept telling himself - just a minute longer - and before he knew it the sun was setting and Mickey was walking him home, the pair having already walked Mandy to her friends house party. The way the older boy saw it, Gallagher had been there when he faced Mandy so he was gonna be there when Ian faced his family.

"You don't have to do this ya know? You've done enough... given enough... at least for one day." Ian tried to sound strong, like he could do this without Mickey, but the reality was he wanted him there. He knew his family would disapprove, knew they would ask questions he didn't want to answer. Questions like 'why him?' and 'what can he possibly offer you?' The thing is he knew the answer to all of those questions but they wouldn't understand because they won't look past Mickey's exterior shell. Hell, Mickey won't let them. And Ian loves that he gets to see a side to Mickey that no one else does, and he doesn't care that it means his family will never get it but that doesn't mean he wants to see the disappointment or judgement on their faces. Not on his own anyway. Because with Mickey by his side he honestly thought he could take on the world. The strength he draws from the other boys presence used to scare him, because he thought he could lose it at any minute, but now he knew better. So he could do this, he could give Mickey this out, let him off the hook for this family confrontation.

Except Mickey didn't want an out. He'd come too far, said too much in front of them all already, whats a little more. He couldn't give the Gallagher boy much but he could give him this. "Not gettin' rid of me that easily Gallagher."

The two walked together in silence, a comfortable and easy silence. They came to a stop at the gate to the Gallagher house and Ian turned to dark haired boy beside him, realising his mistake as soon as he looked into those bight blue eyes, because never before had he wanted to kiss Mickey Milkovich more than right then, he wanted to show him just how much he needed him there, how grateful he was that he hadn't even hesitated to come with him. As if Mickey could read his mind he pushed the younger boy through the gate and flush up against the house, shielded form the road by the steps to the front door. His arms pinned Ian to the wood at his back, he stared into his eyes for just a second before their lips collided. Struggling for breath never felt so good, the passion and intimacy in the kiss was blinding to Mickey. He couldn't think of anything but Ian, his hands found their way into the other boys red locks as he clung on to any part of him he could to keep grounded and keep them together. Ian thrived on the intensity between them, he held on to Mickey's waist with all he had, only letting go to bring his hands up to cup the older boys face as they pulled away.

The silence between spoke the words that neither of them could find, the promise and hope. Once upon a time Mickey would have rejected all of this, Ian would have pretended he didn't want it, he hadn't even known this feeling could exist until he found it with Mickey. But now they had it and they were both clinging on, so together they turned around and silently walked the steps to the Gallagher house. Stopping at the top they both took one final breath before Ian turned the handle.


	3. Mickey Moves In

All the Gallagher's turned to face the door as they heard it open. When Ian stepped in, followed by an awkward looking Mickey, Fiona was first to react. She ran at her sibling and threw her arms around his shoulders. She hugged him until she felt him gasp for breath, loosened her grip and then hugged him some more, she had been beside herself with worry and she just needed reassurance that he wasn't going to bolt again. She needed answers and she wanted a resolution, one that confirmed nothing would happen to her brother. When she was finally sure he wasn't going to vanish or crumble she let Ian go, stepping backwards to look the two boys over. Half looking for bruises and half trying her best to show them her 'no nonsense' scowl, she stared at the duo for what felt to them like hours. Ian inhaled loudly and raised his hands in a placating manner, he was just about to speak when Carl got his words in first.

"You two fuck?" He asked, completely devoid of judgement or repulsion, just curious and almost excited by the prospect of finally understanding all the answers to the questions that have filled his head since the thing with Lloyd, and then the gay foster parents.

Ian let out a shocked laugh, Mickey shuddered behind him and snorted a quick "My fucking god!" as he brought his hands into his hair and swiveled on the spot to face the door. His hands dropped and his face rose to stare at the ceiling, shaking his head he turned his body back to the direction of the Gallagher horde and waited for someone to speak, to move the conversation on.

"Umm not the right time little man," Jimmy patted Carl on the head as he rose from the sofa and walked toward the kitchen, he offered everyone a drink adding that he thought everyone could do with some alcohol before this conversation started. Everyone accepted the offer, even Carl, who Vee gently smacked around the back of the head. The youngest Gallagher members settled for juice. Kev and Lip helped hand the drinks out as Fiona paced the living room. Ian turned to Mickey and offered him a small smile raising his eyebrows when he noticed the older boy was starting to look sickly. Mickey ran his hands through his hair as Ian reached up to touch his shoulder. The contact broke whatever train of thought he was having, he looked into the eyes of the younger boy and nodded that he was OK. A 'blink and you'd miss it' smile flashed across his features, albeit a slightly forced one and with that Ian dropped his hand and turned back around to face his, still pacing, sister. Carl and Debbie were in exactly the same position as they had been during the earlier confrontation, kneeling on the sofa staring unapologetically at whoever was talking, Liam perched between them. Fiona came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, one arm leaning on the banister the other placed firmly on her hip. Jimmy stood at her side looking as uncomfortable as Mickey, hands in his pockets, looking anywhere but at the two people in front of him. Kev was leaning on the door frame to the kitchen, Vee stood next to him leaning on the wall, arms crossed and face matching Fiona's no bullshit expression. Lip was hovering in the middle of the room, still looking apologetically at his brother and avoiding Mickey's gaze entirely.

"So, what should I ask about first? How long this has been going on, what exactly is going on, or how the hell you two are alive with Terry Milkovich after you?" Fiona was angry, but the concern in her voice overpowered that and her eyes didn't leave Ian's as she desperately waited for her mind to put her mind at ease.

"Well, we started sleeping together before he went to juvie the time before last. Not long after Mandy had set him on me for, ya know, messing with her," he spoke light-heartedly but regretted his words as soon as everyone's faces turned to thunder, Lip was the only one who smirked so Ian focused his attention on him, needing to feel something friendly as he continued. "We've been on and off since then, well physically at least. The feelings never really left, even when he was in juvie." Ian turned around to look at Mickey then, he didn't know if he was going to far, pushing too deep for the other boy. Mickey gave him a real smile this time, still a short smile but enough for Ian to know that he was OK to continue. "We never labelled it because it was never that simple, but you heard what we said earlier, this," he gestured between him and Mickey, "Is something, something important..." He knew he wasn't getting his message across.

"Something? That's it, that's all you got? Years you've been doing this thing and all you are is 'something'?" Fiona scoffed, she raised her arms slightly to highlight she needed more than that.

"Umm, I dunno..." Ian didn't know how he was going to finish that sentence, luckily he didn't have to.

"We never labelled it because I never let him." Mickey stepped forward and stood next to Ian, shoulders touching. Ian looked to him and smiled, he looked into his eyes and could swear he saw pride their. He knew that as Mickey returned his gaze he saw the same thing, because he was proud, at that moment he was brimming with pride and it was all for the boy by his side. "I don't know if you know me but I have a bit of an anger problem," Mickey continued, his tone was sarcastic but the meaning behind the words was serious. "I'm not exactly the fucking friendly type and when this thing started I made it pretty clear that it was nothing but a fucking hook up." Fiona looked disgusted at the thug standing in her house talking about her brother like he was nothing. But Mickey had a point and Ian reached out a hand to rest on his lower back, moving closer to him so no one could see it. The Milkovich beside him didn't move away from the contact, it was Gallagher's way of saying thank you for taking over, it was his way of saying carry on. So he did. "Thing is, it got real fucking complicated cause it stopped being nothing pretty quickly and I fucking hated it. I dunno if you've met my family but we ain't exactly the tolerant types and being gay wasn't something I wanted to admit to so I tried to make it stay nothing for as long as fucking possible."

"Problem with me is I get under the skin, right Mick?" Ian smirked as he looked to Mickey. No one else would understand the joke, but he didn't care. He didn't care about any of the in-jokes no one would ever get, like how Mickey would cough whenever anyone mentioned Jeremy Irons because when Ian was high once he admitted he thought the actor had a sexy voice. Or how when Ian squeezes Mickey's shoulder it's because he once bit him there during sex, it was the first time either of them had done it because neither were sure if it was OK. Now it's a regular thing and neither can get enough of it. They will never know that the first time they fucked after being caught by Terry, it had been Mickey fucking Ian because Ian hated the thought of that woman being the last thing Mickey had been inside. It was a pathetic thing to think and Ian knew that it was selfish but when he told Mickey the older boy didn't scoff or tell him to fuck off, he flipped them and turned Ian to putty in his arms. After they had come down from one of the most intense orgasms of their young lives Ian had been too out of it to hold back, he'd asked Mickey why. Why they were still 'together' after everything Mickey had gone through for him, he knew his reasons for staying with Mickey but he didn't know Mickey's for staying with him. The older boy just laughed and told him he got under his fucking skin and refused to fucking leave.

Mickey looked down to the floor and smiled, another real smile. He rolled his eyes as he raised his head to once again look at Fiona, a sudden strength and determination filling him. "Something is what we are because it's all I fucking got right now. And I'm sorry but I ain't looking for your permission and I ain't got any answers to give you. I'm fucking working on it, it's my shit to deal with and as long as Gallagher's OK with it then 'something' is what we are." He looked at his Gallagher and remembered the same thing that he knew the red-head was remembering, another in-joke that no one would know. Whilst they were walking from the alley to the roof, where they had found Mandy earlier that day, Ian had made another smart ass remark about being honoured to be someone's something. Mickey, ever the charmer, had snorted and shoved him into the nearest wall. A couple of minutes later though, he whispered so softly that Ian nearly missed it, and even though he had heard he made no comment. Mickey fucking Milkovich had just said "Some-fucking-times something can be every-fucking-thing," but Ian didn't make a big deal out of it, he just smiled wider than he thought possible and carried on walking, fighting with all he had the urge to hold Mickey's hand and never let go.

"And Terry OK with this, is he?" Fiona demanded. Everyone stood to attention at the question they had all been waiting for the answer to.

Mickey had said enough, as he moved to speak Ian grabbed a hold of the back of his shirt and slightly shook his head. The dark haired boy got the message and backed away, standing slightly behind the Gallagher as he faced his family. Mickey raised his hand to rest on Ian's lower back this time, hoping it would give him the strength that the younger boys same touch had given him.

"Terry caught us the night I snuck out of the group home, he walked in on us and he reacted exactly how I'm sure you're imagining he would react." Ian leaned back slightly into Mickey's touch as he remembered that morning. "He attacked me, looked like he wanted to fucking kill me, probably would have too. But then Mickey jumped on his back and got his attention. I dunno how many punches he took to the face but when I tried to go for Mickey's room to get his gun, Terry pulled a gun on me instead and Mickey still had it in him to get his dad's focus back on him. Terry pistol-whipped him and..." He knew he wouldn't be able to finish that sentence, he didn't want people to know what had happened to Mickey, his Mickey. He knew the older boy wouldn't want them to know either so he just shrugged and said "Mickey did what he had to do to get me out of there alive. It sucked, it fucking hurt and I can honestly say I've never fucking hated anyone in my life as much as I hated Terry Milkovich that day, still do in fact. But it's over now, sorted. OK? You don't have to worry about him. If anyone was in danger here I wouldn't mess about, I'd tell you, you do know that don't you?"

A tense silence filled the room as Fiona visibly weighed up her options for a response. Ian want to scream that they had to know that, he couldn't believe they'd think he could put them in danger. As if hearing his thoughts Debbie ran to Ian and threw her arms around his waist. "Of course we know that!"

"Dude, we're worried about you not us!" Lip all but shouted, he wasn't angry though, a little frustrated maybe, but mostly just concerned.

"Look at me," he said smiling genuinely, raising his arms. He almost span around, to give them a dramatic 360 degree turn, but he didn't want to lose the contact of Mickey's hand on his back. So he just swiveled slightly from side to side and smirked, "I'm fine."

"Fine? the other day you come home with a swollen eye and bleeding lip. A couple of days later you were in an even worse state! You said it was just a fight at the ROTC, but according to Lip earlier, you've been slacking off of that, so where the hell were the bruises from? Although I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to that." The eldest Gallagher was glaring at Mickey as she spoke and his hand tensed on Ian's back as he remembered those first set of bruises, as he remembered giving them to Ian. When no one spoke Fiona continued. "Not to mention the fact that for a few days last week you did nothing but mope. You were irritable and grouchy. You didn't speak to us, didn't smile, you were fucking depressed..."

"OK, I get it, I had some off days but I'm better now aren't I? Have been back to my old self for a while now..." He motioned his hands, willing Fiona to deny it.

"That doesn't answer any of my questions Ian!" She retorted.

"I don't need to answer your questions because they aren't important now, it's over, in the past. Just drop it OK " Ian was starting to shout now, how could he tell Fiona where he got those bruises. She would never forgive Mickey, none of his family would. And they wouldn't understand why Ian had.

"You're not supposed to keep things from us Ian, we're the Gallagher's, not the fucking Milkovich's. We don't hide things this important!" She didn't care that Mickey was standing right there, in fact she blamed him, thought maybe he was the reason Ian was so closed off from her now. She hated the thought of losing her brother and in all honestly she didn't think for a second that Mickey was worth it, as far as she was concerned he didn't deserve Ian, and he didn't deserve this loyalty over family.

"You don't know a fucking thing..." Ian started to rant. Fiona's face dropped and Vee looked ready to charge, at who he wasn't sure. Lip knew what this had been building up to so he wasn't surprised, he was hurt. Because like Fiona he felt pushed out by his brother, the bond they used to share was unbreakable, they told each other everything. But now Ian was holding back and Lip couldn't keep the bitterness from his face. Debbie dropped back onto the sofa and gave her arguing siblings a look like she just wanted it to be over, but Carl, ever the sociopath, look liked he was working out in his head who was gonna win.

"You won't tell me anything!" Fiona shouted incredulously.

"It's none of your business!" Ian knew that hurt her, knew it hurt Lip and Debbie. Pissed of Vee and Kev too. But he couldn't think about that, he needed them all to back off. This wasn't about them it was about him. Him and Mickey.

"Excuse me, we're family Ian. We're the ones who have been here through thick and thin! We mean that little to you now, do we? We love you, we want to help, but it's none of our fucking business because HE says so..." Fiona shoves a hand toward Mickey and Ian flinches at her words. She's about to continue when Mickey can't stand the anger that's being directed at Ian because of him.

"It was me..." Everyone stops and stares at him. "I fucking hit him the first time, and I'm the reason he got hit the second time." Ian moves to stop him, opens his mouth to defend him, but Mickey raises a hand and tells him to wait. "He found out I was gonna get married, my dad's bright fucking idea, and he confronted me. Called me out on a few things I didn't wanna hear..."

"So you fucking beat him?" Vee may have said the words but they were all thinking the same thing.

"I fucking lashed out and..." Mickey tried to continue before being interrupted again.

"No Mickey, don't. OK? The only way they'll understand is if you tell them everything and it's too late and I'm too fucking tired for that. They'll get that story another day. When they are ready to hear it and we are ready to tell it. I know I'm not ready yet and I know they aren't because they are too ready to judge you, make it your fault. But it isn't. And when they get that, when they realise that you're not the fucking bad guy here, hell when YOU realise that, then we'll tell them. Then we'll tell Mandy and everyone else who needs to know. Then and only then!" Mickey stared into Ian's eyes as he spoke. He knew neither of them wanted to talk about this, the memory was too fresh. It threatened to ruin the fluid normality they had managed to build up in the last few days. They needed time to relax and get comfortable before they brought that shit up again, so Mickey nodded at the desperate eyes watching him and stepped forward to stand by his lovers side, placing his hand back where it was rested on Ian's torso. Ian let out a breath of relief and smiled at the familiar touch, then turned his head to face his outraged family.

"You don't get it, OK? You won't get it and I can't talk about it yet because it's just too fucking painful to remember. Please just be patient and I will tell you everything, I promise. You are the ones that have always been there and I love you all so fucking much but right now I just need a bit of time. Can you give me that?" He pleaded his case and bore his heart out to his family through the tears that threatened to fall from his desperate eyes.

Silence.

To Ian's relief, everyone's facial expressions softened, except for Carl's which had remained a neutral calm the entire time. Then he noticed Fiona move, shaking slightly she stood up straight, ran her hands down her tired face and exhaled. Her eyes were watering and she bit back a small sob as she opened them to look back into Ian's. "Why didn't you talk to me, come to me? When it was all still happening. I could have helped. I would have understood." She cocked her head to the side and waited for Ian's response.

He let out a joyless laugh and shrugged his shoulders.

"No, Fiona, I'm sorry but you wouldn't have. How could you? You will never know how it feels to know who you are could get you killed. That people can hate you that much for a part of yourself you don't even get to choose, something you have no control over. For you, at base level, it's as simple as meet someone you like who likes you back. That's how it has always been, how it always will be. But for me, for US..." He waved between himself and Mickey, who was staring wide eyed at Ian, but not in anger. His hand tightening it's grip on his back told Ian that this was OK, reminding him that he was there. "None of you could help me with that. The only one who knew, who could understand..." He looked into Mickey's eyes and felt the pull of the habitual smile he got every time he looked into those bright blue orbs, when Mickey faintly smiled back he let out a small laugh because he knew that the other boy's smile was also an unconscious one, giving comfort without even realising he was doing so. "...Was him. And what hurt me the most was knowing that however much I was hurting, he had it worse." He looked back round to his family, "Because while I have you, he has Terry. The one that was doing all the hating, was his own flesh and blood. And I couldn't do a single god damn thing to help him. You really think you can imagine how that feels? To be so damn powerless. To care about someone so much it hurts, but to know that so much as looking at him, talking to him, could get you both killed if the wrong person saw it. Fiona, there was nothing you could do, and I couldn't talk about it. I couldn't even think about it without wanting to just fucking break. Wanting to be someone else, anyone else. No one should ever pray to be someone they're not, you told me that."

Ian paused and Lip took advantage of everyone else's stunned silence. "And now it's all sorted? Just like fucking that?" He said, waving his arms in disbelief.

Ian smiled and let out another chuckling breath. "Yes, because Mickey sorted it, WE sorted it. And now... I've never been so fucking happy to just be me. Isn't that what you all want for me?"

Fiona looked like she was desperately trying to understand. She pinched the bridge of her nose before sighing frustratedly. "Of course it is Ian. I just want to know how this works, how it happened. I want to understand how Mickey fucking Milkovich can be the answer to your prayers?" Her sarcastic tone transformed the comment into a question.

Mickey laughed to himself and both boys could imagine Mandy screaming 'Fuck you' and charging at Fiona with her fists flying. He didn't say anything though, because honestly he agreed with every word. He was as confused by it as they all were but unlike them, Mickey wasn't questioning it anymore.

Ian was still smiling when he looked up from the floor and stared straight into Fiona's eyes. "Ya know, I never used to like being gay. I mean, I wasn't depressed or angry about it. Didn't hate myself. It was just something I accepted and moved on from, didn't really think about. Maybe that's why I was so quick to settle for Kash, because he was a married man who I would never be anything more for than a dirty little secret. That's kinda as good as I thought it got. And then I threatened Mickey with a crowbar and instead of killing me for it he ripped my clothes off."

Mickey snorted and elbowed Ian in the ribs, "Fuck you Gallagher, you did your fair share of the fucking ripping."

Ian acted being in pain from the contact to his ribs, laughing as he looked round to the cringing faces of Kev and Jimmy. Lip's amused smirk and Vee and Fiona's intrigued stare. Carl was laughing and leaning forward over the sofa as if this meant more words would come sooner, whilst Debbie feigned disgust for all of a few seconds then willed her brother to carry on with the explanation, opting to ignore Mickey's interruption.

"Whatever," he laughed, "But you know what," Ian scanned the room to make sure he had everyone's attention because the next part was important. "After that, for the first time I was fucking excited about what I was. Because it wasn't just something to settle for, something that could get me killed. Being gay got me Mickey fucking Milkovich." Mickey shuddered and elbowed Ian again. Ian just smiled and elbowed back. "And I didn't have to settle anymore. I got to fucking live and fight for something. I found out what passion was, I found out what it was like to want something so much it hurt. And it did hurt, so fucking much at times. There were times I didn't think I'd survive it, didn't want to even. And I lost him more times than I can count and each time I just wanted it all to be over because it hurt so fucking much. But now? Now, I wouldn't change a second of it because it feels so raw and so real that I wouldn't want anything else. I've never had to work so hard for anything in my life, but now... I mean, do you even realise how strong I feel when he's there. When I just think about what we went through?"

The atmosphere in the room was unreadable. Mickey rubbed at the corner of his mouth with his thumb, licking the spot when he lowered his hand. Ian was looking straight ahead, stood tall, shoulders raised and hands in his pockets, just waiting patiently for someone to speak. Debbie was grinning from ear to ear, Carl was looking thoughtfully between Mickey and Ian, probably wondering by now which one would win in a fight. The second the word strength was uttered his face screamed for a fight. Jimmy and Kev were back to looking awkward. Lip just looked relieved. Vee's expression was unreadable, but her arms were still tightly crossed and her body language showed that she was ready for the shit to hit the fan, especially as she knew Fiona was not done yet.

"Do you love him?" She asked with no judgement, but completely serious, like this was it, this was everything she needed to hear.

"Yes!" Ian didn't hesitate. At first he couldn't look at Mickey, he didn't want it to be like this when they first addressed the issue of love. But he owed Fiona honesty, and really, he'd been dying to say that for so long, holding himself back because he didn't know if it would make things better or worse. But now it was said and he needed to see Mickey's reaction, even if it was a bad one. He turned his head slowing and caught Mickey's stunned features. His mouth slightly open and his eyes wide. He chewed his thumb nail as different emotions rushed over his face, but he never looked away. Never broke eye contact with Ian. The younger boy raised his brow and smiled, he knew Mickey couldn't say the words but he hadn't run away from them this time either.

"Whoa... Whats with the looks?" Vee untangled her arms and waved one hand between the still staring boys. Ian reluctantly broke eye contact and glanced at Veronica.

"It's umm... the first time we've really acknowledged that word, first time that counts anyway." He flashed her a smile before looking at the floor.

Silence filled the room as everyone took in the awkward atmosphere, with Fiona looking the most uncomfortable, obviously annoyed by the sudden development. She moved forward and was about to speak, when someone beat her to it.

"It counted before..." Ian shot his eyes to look at Mickey, who was still chewing on his thumb nail as he spoke, staring at the red-head unashamedly. "It was fucking true then, still true now." Ian was shocked to say the least, they hadn't talked about that day really, the last day that his world crashed around him.

 

-x-

 

That day Ian had cornered Mickey, confronted him about his marriage. Mickey had told him to fuck off, but Ian refused and pushed the issue. He followed when Mickey stormed out of the derelict building he had been drowning his sorrows in. When he'd, once again, told Ian to leave him the fuck alone and Ian had, once again, refused, Mickey asked why. (Or Why the fuck not? - to be more precise). And Ian had answered him as honestly as he could. "You can't marry her, not when you love me." He didn't know why he said it but he needed it to be true. And when Mickey didn't deny it straight away a pang of hope shot through his body and straight to his heart, so he said it again. "You love me, and you're gay." Mickey had hit him that day, twice in the face and twice in the stomach. But what had hurt Ian the most was the blank expression on his face. Like he really wasn't the same Mickey anymore, he wasn't Ian's Mickey anymore. Sure the anger and frustration had been etched into his features before but as he walked away there was nothing and with that Ian felt the finality of the situation for the very first time, and it tore him apart.

It was days until he saw Mickey again. He, obviously, hadn't been coming to work, no doubt another of his dad's demands. When some girl came into the store a few minutes into his shift Ian should have known something was wrong. She didn't move to buy anything, just stood and stared at him. After a few moments she asked if Mickey was there, when he said no she turned and walked out. 15 minutes later Terry Milkovich walked in.

"My son is no fag!" He shouted as he approached the counter Ian was sat behind. The red-head was scared but he was stubborn, he had been broken by this man before and he wouldn't show it again. "He's getting married and you're gonna leave him the fuck alone!" When Terry reached the counter he slammed his hands down on it and Ian, once again, hoped he hadn't shown just how panicked he was.

"He told me that himself." Ian tried to sound confident as he gestured to his still healing face.

The Milkovich patriarch just smirked, "Good, and now you're gonna hear it from me!"

-x-

His face was bleeding, his arms hurt and his legs were pinned. The hits kept coming but the reactions had stopped. After the first punch he'd told Terry that he loved his son and that he couldn't beat that out of him anymore than he could beat the 'fag' out of Mickey. When he refused to take it back the hits became kicks and he could feel his consciousness slipping away. Then he heard a sound that brought him straight back to life.

"Get the fuck off of him!"

Terry growled as he looked up. He threw himself to his feet and lunged at Mickey, slamming his son against the door of the shop and grabbing at his throat with one hand, landing a punch to his cheek with the other. Mickey didn't hesitate, he grabbed Terry's head with both hands, pulling it violently forward as he moved his own to headbutt his father. He smashed their heads together with a force that knocked the older Milkovich to the floor. Mickey knew it was a fight he couldn't win, but he didn't need to, he just needed to tire him out, just a little bit. He just needed to slow him down.

So he straddled his father, bombarding him with punch after punch. He didn't so much as flinch as Terry flipped them. He dodged the first blow, but the second connected, and the third. Mickey just dodged the fifth, then he reached out and grabbed the heaviest object he could reach and crashed it against Terry's skull with all the strength he could muster. While he recovered from the hit Mickey thrust up his hips and knocked his father off of him. He grabbed the gun out of the back of his fathers jeans as he jumped up and swung round, pointing it at his dad's head as Terry turned to look at him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" The man snarled at his son.

"I marry your slut, you stay the fuck away from Gallagher. Wasn't that the fucking deal?"

"Paying a little visit to his fucking cousin, scaring him off to save the Gallagher family fucking house? That count as staying the fuck away does it?" He snorted as he moved to sit up, he wiped the blood from his mouth as he continued. "This ends today, get the fuck out of my way and that piece of shit will be out of your life for good. You will marry that fucking girl and you will have a fucking kid even if I have to put it in her myself!"

Mickey just glared at his father, face filled with disgust. He shook his head slowly and bellowed with a strength he didn't know he had, "Get the fuck out of here before I pull this fucking trigger!"

"You threatening me boy?" His dad didn't look scared, if anything he was more angry than ever, but Mickey wouldn't back down now. He could see Gallagher out of the corner of his eyes and he had to protect him. He couldn't fail him again.

"Oh the threat comes later!" He snorted, "When I tell you that if you ever go near Gallagher, or any of his family again, I will call up that do-gooder cop whose brother you killed, the one just itching to put you the fuck away for good. I will give him every single fucking detail of every-fucking-thing I know about every fucking crime you have ever committed. And even if it means being in the cell next to you I will make sure you rot in jail."

Terry laughed a throaty roar of a laugh. "Is that so?" He scowled.

"Oh that's not it!" Mickey laughed a roar of his own. "Once you're in there, I will let each and every inmate you fucked over, fucking ratted on, stole from, betrayed to save your own ass, know that they are in there because of you. I know they'll need convincing, Terry Milkovich wouldn't rat right? He knows better. But you know if anyone can convince 'em, if anyone can prove it to 'em, it's fucking me!"

"You fucking know what you're saying there Mickey?" Terry was starting to look concerned, he tried to wash it away with anger but he knew his son, and he knew that look he had in his eyes.

"Oh, I know fucking exactly what I'm promising. Now back the fuck up out of the store and go the fuck home. Or go to the fucking bar and drink yourself to death for all I care!" Mickey took a step closer to his father to let him know just how serious he was being. His knuckles were going white from their grip on the gun and he made sure that Terry could see from his position that the safety was off.

"You think you can threaten me and walk the fuck away? You fucking know what this is gonna cost you boy?" The oldest Milkovich wailed as he climbed to his feet. He advanced toward Mickey but the younger Milkovich didn't flinch, he took a step forward of his own. Just close enough that he could feel his fathers angry breath but not close enough that Terry could reach to grab the gun.

"I know there'll be no fucking wedding, no fucking kid, and no more fucking Russian whores! You wanna beat my ass every time you see my god damn face then fine, but your reasons... stay the fuck between us!" He nodded to the red-head behind him and then stared Terry down once again, not lowering the gun for a second.

"You really think this'll fucking work?" His anger is back in full force now, but it's different this time. It's almost like it's a defeated anger.

"You're considerin' it ain't ya? Way I see it you don't have much of a fucking choice!" Mickey retorted without missing a beat. His dad might be angry but Mickey was beyond ferocious. He was angry and determined and he was fucking serious.

"How long till your brothers find out huh son? I offer you a second fucking chance and this is how you repay me? When the rest of the family find out, I promise you this Mickey, I will lead the fucking way and kill you myself!"

"You want me dead so fucking much then just fucking do it." Mickey lowered the gun slightly, but didn't drop his defensive. "But know that the second you fucking do you will be in jail before you can fucking blink!" Mickey could see the togs churning in his fathers mind, he let out a snorted laugh before he explained. "Cause you know that cop I was talking about? I called him already. Told him you'd threatened me, told him I was fucking scared for my life and all that sob story shit, even told the fucker why. He knows every-fucking-thing. And I've given him every thing he needs to pin it on you if something fucking happens to me. Won't matter who knows if I'm fucking dead, right?"

"You are no Milkovich, you are not my fucking son, you hear me? You find a new fucking place to live because the next time I see you I will rip your fucking head from your shoulders. You understand me Mickey?" Mickey spat at his fathers feet and watched him walk out of the store.

He didn't know what the fuck he was doing, didn't know what to do now. Losing Terry meant he might as well have lost his whole fucking family, no one had his back now and he had a shit load of enemies. He was fucked and he didn't fucking care because in that minute all he wanted to know was if Gallagher was OK. But he couldn't bring himself to look, because if he did he wouldn't be able to look away, so he turned and headed toward the door.

Ian panicked at the thought of losing Mickey again so without thinking he lunged forward and grabbed the older boys arm. "Mickey?" He whispered, his voice pleading, matching his tear filled eyes. He tried to turn the Milkovich to face him but the boy refused.

"Don't Gallagher! Just fucking leave it!" His voice was pained, but he was fighting it, Mickey wasn't going to break now, so he turned again and made for the door. Ian charged past him and flung himself into the ex-cons path, blocking the door and clutching the keys in his pocket before telling the other boy that the back door was fucking locked so not to bother trying.

"Jesus Gallagher, don't you ever fucking quit? You were nearly just fucking killed! Do you understand how fucking close you just came?" Mickey needed Ian to understand, needed to walk the fuck away so he wouldn't have to see the hurt in his eyes anymore. A hurt Mickey put there.

And suddenly everything clicked in Ian's mind. Maybe it was the desperation in Mickey's eyes. Maybe it was the knocks to the head, or that fact that Mickey had shown up at all. Or maybe it was the fact that the older boy was talking about leaving, itching to go but not actually making any attempt to move the younger boy. They both knew that he could easily shove Ian out of the way if he tried, but he didn't, he just stood and stared. Whatever the reason, Ian finally understood everything and he didn't know whether to be happy or angry but he did know that he wasn't moving.

"That what this was about?" He choked out, gesturing to the oldest bruises on his face. "Pushing me away?" Tears were collecting in his eyes but he didn't care if Mickey saw them, he didn't have the energy anymore to wipe them away.

When Mickey didn't say a word Ian growled in frustration. "Jesus Mickey," he screamed. "You coulda just told me I was nothing to you! Just a warm mouth remember?"

"That of fucking worked?" He asked sharply. Ian just stared, his eyes giving away his answer. No, it wouldn't have fucking worked. Ian could see through all of Mickey's words now, he would have seen through that too. "You needed to fucking hate me Gallagher, you needed to stay the fuck away!" Mickey yelled, trying to force an anger into his voice that wasn't there.

"And now? Now I don't. He's gone now?" Ian pleaded.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" The anger was back in an instant. He was no good but Ian kept pushing, wanting him around. It drove him insane because he didn't have the energy to push him away anymore. But Ian was too good for him, he needed Ian to leave him behind before something happened that Mickey couldn't take back. "Do you not remember what I fucking did to you? I fucking beat you Gallagher!" Emotion leaked into his voiced and he had to pinch the bridge of his nose to compose himself. Mickey didn't know what else he could do but he knew he was close to just giving in to the boy in front of him. Close to giving in to what they both wanted so damn much.

"You just fucking saved me!" Ian retorted. "He could have killed you... That's the second time you've pulled him off me, the second time you saved my fucking life!" Ian let out a pained laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair and inhaled a deep, painful breath. He looked at the lost expression on Mickey's face, and when he was sure the other boy wasn't going to say anything, he exhaled and furrowed his brow. "Jesus, did you really call that cop? Tell him everything?" He didn't know why that suddenly came to him but he needed to change the subject and keep Mickey talking, he needed to keep him there.

"Hell fucking no! Had to tell Terry something though, didn't come here hoping to fucking die!"

"Why did you come here?"

Mickey could see Ian's eyes beg for an answer that could fill him with hope. He could have shot him down then, hurt him, said something like he helped Terry plan it. Tell him something that would tear the hope off of his face and finally they would both have peace. Instead Mickey told the truth, or the abbreviated version of it. "That bitch he wanted me to marry let slip that he sent her down here to make sure you were a-fucking-lone. Make sure I wasn't here, doesn't take a genius to connect the fucking dots." What he didn't tell Ian was that he had run here without stopping to think things through, without grabbing a gun or a bat or something to fight Terry off with because all he could think about was what his dad was doing to Ian. What would happen if he got there too fucking late. How he couldn't live in a world where Ian fucking Gallagher didn't exist anymore.

"Is it over? The shit with your dad?"

Mickey shrugged. "He knows when I'm being serious. Fag or not I'm still a fucking Milkovich, when I make threats I fucking mean them! And so does he, he sees me again I'm as good as fucking dead. But he'll leave you alone now, he's not that fucking stupid." And Mickey was being honest, he knew his dad. More importantly his dad knew him.

"So what's stopping us?" Part of Ian screamed at himself to look at the floor, to avoid the rejection in Mickey's eyes, but he couldn't. He had to see what the other boy thought, what he wanted. And when he did look into his eyes he didn't see rejection, he saw how tired the ex con was. He saw defeat but he also saw a glimmer of something that was just so purely Mickey that Ian knew it meant this wasn't going to break him. And he couldn't help but hope that meant it wouldn't break them either.

When Mickey didn't answer Ian tried the light-hearted approach. "That girl he wanted you to marry?" Mickey looked up at him with furrowed brows and a confused expression. "She was pretty." Ian expanded, with a smirk playing at his lips.

"You're fucking weird Gallagher."

There was no malice behind the words but Ian was exhausted and the uncertainty was killing him, so he tried one last time to get answers from thug he cared so damn deeply for. "Mickey?" Was all he managed to say. His voice broke and his eyes couldn't contain all of his tears any longer, only a few fell but it was enough to show Mickey just how much Ian needed him to make his choice, stay or go. Mickey pushed Ian gently out of the way of the door and Ian felt his stomach drop, in that moment he felt sick. He brought a hand up to clutch his waist and doubled over himself, leaning on the counter with the other arm. He was completely broken and in that moment he didn't know how he could possibly fix himself, without Mickey he didn't think he ever could.

He almost didn't believe it when he heard the click of the door locking and felt the warmth of Mickey's hand on his back. Ian shot up right and turned in one swift movement. The shock evident on his face as Mickey moved to say something. But Ian didn't give him a change. He threw his arms around the tattooed Milkovich and clung on for dear life. Mickey didn't push him away, he was too wrapped up in the warmth engulfing him. He wrapped his own arms around the red-heads waist and pulled him closer. He didn't know what was going to come next. He had lost everything, he was without his family, the thing that defined him. But in that moment he had a choice and he chose Gallagher, he chose not to lose the one thing still capable of bringing a smile to his face, a warmth to his battered body. He chose to stay with the boy who wormed his way into his life and turned it upside down, the only person who he thought could help him right it again.

-x-

Snapped away from the memory of that day, Ian looked around his sisters and brothers, his family, before settling his gaze on the oldest Gallagher sibling. "Fi, you want whats best for me right?" She nodded. "Well that's Mickey." He said with such conviction that he challenged anyone in that room to tell him he was lying, tell him he was wrong. He knew how all of it sounded, how ridiculous it must seem to everyone else, but he also knew they could see in his face that he wasn't lying. He just needed them to trust him.

"Where the fuck are you even living now? I know you arn't still living with Terry fucking homophobe Milkovich." Lip asked with what looked like genuine concern.

"Been staying at my aunts."

Lip thought on this for a second before he spoke again. Ever the wise ass he smirked at Mickey and said, "Thought Mandy said she was the only Milkovich sibling your aunt could stand?"

"She is, I'm out by Friday." Mickey announced indifferently, like it was a fact of life that family didn't give a shit.

"Only put up with him this long because she was using the extra money to bribe the judge trying her boyfriend's case." Ian jabbed as he smirked at Mickey. "That and she assumed it would piss Terry off."

"Does she kn..." Fiona started to say.

"God no, she woulda killed me in my fucking sleep. She just knows there's a reason I ain't at home so helping me out would fucking piss my dad off." Mickey shrugged off the looks of pity Fi and Vee were giving him, he didn't need that from anyone. He knew the hand he had been dealt but he didn't need other people to fucking judge him. He shifted his weight and silently wondered how much fucking longer he would have to talk through this shit with people who couldn't stand the sight of him, and who definitely didn't like the idea of him with their Ian.

Debbie piped up again then, asking Mickey what happens Friday. No one seemed surprised, and Debbie wasn't offended when all he said was "I fucking move."

It was something Ian had been thinking a lot about though, he was worried. He didn't know what Mickey was going to do and he didn't know how to help him, he had tried everything, offering him money for a hotel, a place at the house, a place at a fucking friends house. But Mickey just shrugged him off every time, he refused to take anything more from Ian, just assured him that he knew what he was doing. "Where you gonna go?" He asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Don't fucking start this again Gallagher." Mickey sighed, he shifted his weight again and avoided the red heads concerned gaze.

Despite this there was no distance between the pair, physically or otherwise. Fiona couldn't help but notice the familiarity between them, the ease with which they understood each other, like they knew each other better than themselves. Then she remembered how this all began, how Mickey had known so much more about Ian's West Point dreams than any of the Gallagher's, he knew more than Ian had ever told him. The older boy had figured it out himself, he knew this about Ian the same way that Ian had known what Mickey was going to say before he said it. The same way that Ian knew when Mickey needed space, or when he could be pushed. She didn't know if she liked Mickey, really didn't trust him, but she didn't have to.

"I take it by this you mean Ian's asked you to stay here?" She directs her question at Mickey because although it would be easier to get a straight answer from her brother she wanted to see how the Milkovich would respond.

"Already told him, not a good fucking idea." He raised his arms as if to placate her. As if to assure her that he wouldn't be in her hair any longer than he had to be so she didn't have to worry about getting too used to seeing him around.

She smiled as she looked into his eyes and said, "So? We're Gallagher's. We make a living on bad ideas." She exclaimed almost proudly.

"Ah but brilliantly executed bad ideas." Lip defended, with his, ever present, smirk. He looked triumphantly around the room and crossed his arms over his chest.

Ian's smile was as wide as ever as he looked around his family, taking in all of their enthusiastic smiles. He could honestly not have been more proud of them all than at that moment and he turned to Mickey as if daring him to refuse. Mickey's face was a mixture of confusion and something unreadable. He let out an over dramatic sigh as he rubbed his face with his hand. "You're all fucking insane," he sighed to no one in particular.

"Well he isn't sharing a bed with you in the same room that Carl and Liam sleep." Fiona said to Ian as she walked to the sofa and scooped the youngest sibling up into her arms. "Lip, you're in your old bed, in with the boys. Mickey, you're in the spare room." She stated with a 'matter of fact' smile and as Lip growled as if to protest Fiona silenced him with a well aimed glare.

"Did I fucking agree to this?" Mickey exclaimed instead.

"You saying no?" Ian asked, failing miserably to pull of an insulted look.

"This is a bad fucking idea." Mickey proclaimed as he turned to face the front door again, as if willing himself to leave. Ian didn't flinch, he knew the older boy wasn't going to leave now, not just like that anyway.

"Opinion noted. Now I'm starving and I ain't cooking, who's up for pizza?" Fiona raised her eyebrows and she picked up the phone with the hand not holding Liam to her hip, she threw the phone at Jimmy as she told him he was ordering.

A chorus of pizza orders echoed through the house as Ian gently rubbed his hand against Mickey's, getting the other boys attention. He nodded his head toward the kitchen and silently led the Milkovich through the crowded house and out the back door.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ian asked as he lowered himself to sit next to Mickey on the top step leading up to the Gallagher house.

"For fucks sake Gallagher, can you be any more gay?" He teased, only half meaning it. Mickey took out a cigarette and shoved it into his mouth, he lit it quickly and exhaled a warm breath of smoke as he rested his arms over his knees.

"I could kiss you right now, that'd be pretty gay right?" Ian retorted, smiling as the older boy rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"And sharing a fucking bed in a house filled with your whole fucking family?" Mickey asked without expecting an answer.

Ian knew how uncomfortable this had all been on boy next to him. He knew how far he'd come in such a short space of time and he was proud of him for it. He didn't want to push him too far so he gently touched Mickey's shoulder to get him to look at him. "I can stay in my bed, you can have a room to yourself?" He offered, hoping beyond hope it would be enough to convince him to stay. He liked the idea of having Mickey so close even at home.

"Fuck that!" Mickey shouted. "If I stay, I'm getting fucked."

"If?" Ian questioned, trying his best to sound indifferent, knowing from the way Mickey shook his head that he'd failed. Mickey took out his phone and Ian's heart shuddered in his chest at the thought of the ex-con arranging to stay somewhere else. He swallowed a sigh and asked Mickey what he was doing, trying his best to not sound desperate.

"Texting Mandy..." He looked at Ian with a smirk, turned back to his phone and continued. "Telling her my new fucking address!"

Ian's smile took over his face, Mickey loved that fucking smile, loved even more that he was the reason for it, like he deserved that privilege Ian stared at his lover for what could have been moments, could have been minutes. He got lost in the curve of his lips, how the contours of his face blended so seamlessly together. He stared into those eyes he was so damn addicted to and those arms that felt so fucking good around him. He looked the older boy up and down and let out an involuntary, but content, sigh. Before he could stop himself he closed his eyes and whispered "I fucking love you Mick."

He kept his eyes closed as he realised just how loud he'd said those words. His smile dropped from his face but he didn't frown, he worked to keep his features as neutral as possible as he slowly opened his eyes, hoping against hope that Mickey wasn't looking at him. No such fucking luck.

Mickey wasn't just looking, he was glaring. His face betrayed no emotion, even when he opened his mouth slightly, only to close it again without saying a word. Mickey silently nodded to himself as he bit his bottom lip into his mouth, then he was standing and pulling Ian up with him. He pushed Ian back inside the Gallagher house and spun them so he had the younger boy pinned against the door. He pushed there bodies as close as he could possibly get them then kissed him for all he was worth. The two boys moved together perfectly in sync, Ian parting his lips the second that Mickey's tongue requested entry. Ian's hands wound round Mickey's body, one resting on his lower back to hold him tightly, holding him close, the other working its way into his dark, black hair. One of Mickey's hands stayed glued to Ian's waist, the other grabbed at the side of his neck, the objective of both sets of hands being simple. Keep the other boy as close as possible. And they fulfilled their function, even when Mickey broke the kiss to come up for air, their hands didn't stray. They leaned into each other, resting their foreheads together as both boys panted and smiled against the others lips. "I fucking love you, too." Mickey whispered, not opening his eyes to gauge Ian's reaction. So the taller boy did what he had to do to show Mickey just how he felt about those words. He kissed him again with a passion that shocked them both. The kiss was deepened almost immediately and soon all four hands were roaming the two bodies, searching for flesh. All too quickly for both of their liking, though, the boys were forced to part. They turned to see the shocked faces of a few of the Gallagher siblings and Kev, who had all heard Ian describe the passion he felt but obviously hadn't really believed Mickey was capable of it until now.

Lip laughed as he informed the pair still clinging to each other that Jimmy didn't know what they wanted so he just got them whatever the special was that day. Mickey just shrugged him off and Ian didn't look away from the boy he loved. He was just about to do something stupid like rip the other boys clothes off right then and there when the moment was broken by Carl asking if Mickey was going to kill Frank now.

"What? Why the fuck would I want to kill that piece of shit?" Mickey only half broke contact with Ian to look over at the sociopath standing just inside the kitchen.

"Well Ian said earlier that you didn't kill Frank because he begged you not to, but now he told Terry about you I kinda figured you'd be mad at him?"

Lip realised what Carl was going to say mid sentence. After a cry of 'shit', he rushed to clamp a hand over his younger brothers mouth but it was too late.

Mickey froze, looking down at the innocent expression on the young boys face. Once again everyone was staring at Mickey as he looked from Carl to Ian, who had stiffened instantly and was looking more and more panicked at every passing second. Ian met his gaze and held him tighter, petrified to give his lover any chance to leave. The red-head's eyes were frantic, the green orbs Mickey loved so much, flicking desperately between Mickeys bright blue ones as the ex-con tilted his head to the side to study them. Mickey was angry, both boys were, it had been a long fucking day and more than anything else both boys were tired. Worn out from all the emotion and the explaining. Mickey didn't even have it in him to care that they were being watched anymore, he knew he should be annoyed that there were people staring at him and Gallagher being this close, touching, kissing, smiling. But he wasn't thinking about any of them, to be honest he wasn't even thinking about Frank. Raising his hand back to the Gallagher's face, he brought their mouths together one more time. Ian wasn't letting him go tonight, this he knew, and whats more is he didn't want him to. Frank could wait until tomorrow.


	4. Ian handles Frank, Mickey handles Ian

Ian inhaled deeply as he slowly blinked his eyes open. His heart skipped a beat as the first thing he set his waking eyes upon was a sleeping Mickey Milkovich. Then he remembered falling asleep to that same sight and feeling a peace he'd never experienced before. For him yesterday had started like all others. Just the usual day of work, family and a hidden love affair that he couldn't really acknowledge, even to the boy he was sharing it with. After taking a turn for the worst Ian had honestly believed that yesterday would be the day that broke him, that Mickey would leave him for good. But instead, yesterday had been the day that all of his dreams came true. A miracle he had been silently hoping for, but never really daring to believe in. Not only did he get to keep Mickey but he got to do it out in the open, well to those closest to him at least. Mickey had said and done things that they both didn't think he'd ever do, and he did them all with an audience, and he did them all for him. Ian had spent most of the previous day in a daze, waiting for the punch line. Waiting for the thing that was going to come along and shatter this illusion of happiness they had found, he dreaded it but knew it had to be coming. After all, if something seems too good to be true, well then, it probably is. And the Earth shattering moment had come in the form of his little brother and an innocent comment that should have sent Mickey into a rage, that should have sent him running. Only Mickey hadn't run, hadn't even flinched from Ian for a second.

Ian exhaled gently, smiling so honestly that he didn't think anything could break it. He remembers back to the feeling of anger he got when Carl had uttered those words, how that anger had turned to panic when he felt Mickey's arms tense around him. He remembers tightening his hold on the older boy, looking into his eyes, feeling his warm breath. He remembers not wanting it to end. Then he remembers Mickey kissing him, staying with him, holding onto him in front of everyone.

Ian's brought out of his memories by the slight rumble of his stomach. But just like last night, he doesn't want to move, doesn't need to eat. He just needs to be exactly where he is. He leans closer to the ex con beside him, completely closing what little gap there had been between them. Mickey was on his side facing Ian, one arm under his head as he slept soundly, chest rising and falling steadily as slight snores escaped him. The red-head was transfixed, he didn't think that there was a single noise the older boy could make that he wouldn't love, crave hearing like a drug. From the intense moans of sex, to the crisp husky strength of his voice as he spoke, the sounds of Mickey Milkovich was an album on constant loop in the mind of Ian Gallagher.

After they had reluctantly pulled away from each other last night, to sit at the table as the pizzas were handed out, Ian felt like he couldn't breath without the contact. The two boys stared at each other, barely touching the food in front of them. Eventually Fiona had quipped that they didn't need her permission, if they wanted to leave the table they could. Ian wasn't even sure he'd heard her, didn't think he put together exactly what she'd said until much later. All he knows is he dropped the slice of pizza in his hand and he and Mickey had both risen from their seats without breaking eye contact. He'd backed into the living room, Mickey in step in front of him, slightly pushing against his ribs. Neither boy was smiling, both too focused on each others eyes, and lips, to do anything else but want. Once out of the eye line of everyone in the kitchen, Ian lunged forward.

Both boys gasped for breath as their lips crashed together. They fought their way up the stairs, never breaking their mouths apart, both sets of hands searching wildly for the skin beneath their clothes. Slamming each other from wall to wall the pair finally found their destination. Mickey pushed Ian through the door, following him through it immediately after and slamming it shut with his foot. By the time Mickey reached where Ian was standing, the younger boy had already taken off his shirt. He grabbed at Mickey's, pulling it over his head before their lips once again connected in a wave of passion and desire. Their hands found their way to each others trousers, unbuttoning both pairs and frantically pushing them to the floor. Mickey pushed Ian onto the bed and pulled off the red-head's boxers before climbing onto him, then he straddled his waist as he leaned down for another bruising kiss. Ian flipped them and Mickey followed him up so as not to break the kiss when the younger boy moved to take off his underwear. Ian sat in Mickey's lap, his hands clutching his face as the older boy gripped his hips. they panted and rutted and breathed in each and every kiss, staying liked that for a few moments, kissing roughly and losing themselves in each other. Then Mickey closed his arms around Gallagher's waist and flipped them, using his strong arms to guide the red-head back onto the bed. The ex con rose to his knees and positioned himself above his lover.

Both boys moaned deep and desperate as Mickey lowered himself and they finally became one. Mickey didn't need time to adjust, he just leaned down and rested his forehead against Ian's, cupping his face as he started to move against the other boys hips. Both boys pinched their eyes shut at the movement, moaning forcefully against each others parted lips. Ian's hands clung onto the older boys hips as his head fell back onto the pillow behind him, leaving his neck open and exposed. Mickey kissed along his jaw, drawing a loud groan from his lover when he gently bit into the flesh underneath his ear. Mickey moved fast, running his hands up Ian's torso, his rocking hips not faltering from their rhythm as both boys were panted hard. Consumed by lust and desire Ian suddenly flipped them, taking control of the pace, needing to give the older boy all that he wanted and more. His mouth danced it's way up Mickey's chest and the ex con growled as the younger boys hands and lips latched onto his neck, he arched up into the touch and Ian growled possessively into the next bite. They continued to flip to and fro, taking control from each other only to relinquish it again moments later, kissing and thrusting in perfect harmony. They moaned and bit, touched and kissed, until both boys were desperate for release. Mickey rolled them so that Ian was once again on top, then he wrapped his legs tightly around the younger man, effortlessly sliding with Ian around every thrust. He palmed at Ian's back as the red-head gripped onto his lover's hair, pulling without force and grinding their hips together in delicious friction. Mickey arched his pelvis up to compliment Ian's new angle and suddenly both boys were seeing stars. Ian was close, he wasn't going to last much longer so he leaned on arm resting above Mickey's head and with the other hand he reached down between their pulsating bodies and gripped hard around his lover, thrusting his hand to draw Mickey desperately closer to his release. And when release hit them, it came hard and they came undone, completely together. Theiy rode out their highs, clinging to each other to keep grounded. And they didn't let go once their orgasms were over, or when Ian slowly pulled out. They didn't let go when Mickey gently laughed and said "Jesus Christ, Firecrotch," or when Ian smiled at the familiar nickname and responded with a laugh of his own. And although they had to alter their hold, they didn't even let go when Mickey rolled off of his lover and lay down next to him. After only a few content minutes they fell asleep, still in each others hold.

Now Ian was lying down next to his blue eyed Milkovich, his head propped up by his elbow on the bed, his other arm resting over Mickey's hip. Mickey's other arm, the one not under his head, was draped across Ian's lower back. Unapologetically they were tangled, naked, together and Ian didn't think he'd ever get enough of it. He breathed in Mickey's scent and fought the urge to kiss him as he gently stroked his hand up and down the soft skin of his thigh. Happy in the knowledge that yesterday was not a dream, that he could do this now.

"If you're gonna wake me up thinking so damn loud, you at least gonna finish what you're starting with that hand of yours?"

Mickey's eyes were still closed as he smirked, his sleep heavy voice shooting over Ian, sending a pulse of energy through out his body. Mickey opened his eyes, safe in the knowledge that his Gallagher was right there next to him.

"You sure you got the stamina to keep up?" Ian teased, an unrelenting smile still spread across his face.

Mickey pushed Ian onto his back and threw himself on top of him, not caring about morning breath, or hunger, or the busy house around them. He kissed the younger boy provocatively, as he held his shoulders in place. Challenge accepted.

 

-x-

 

Fiona smiled to herself when she passed the spare room to hear her brother taunting Mickey fucking Milkovich. Of course she didn't want to think about what was happening in there now. She may not be a prude but in her mind Ian will always be her innocent little brother, and although she was proud of the way he was growing up, she was also scared by it. As she walked down the stairs into the usual chaos that was her kitchen at breakfast, she noticed Mandy Milkovich sitting at the table feeding Liam.

"I'm just here to see my brother." Mandy explained defensively, like she thinks Fiona is going to object to her presence.

"Yeah, well I'd give it a while before you go looking for him," she responded, smiling as she organised the lunches for her siblings. "You're welcome here any time Mandy." She added, trying to show her sincerity. She knows the two of them haven't always seen eye to eye but she can understand the younger girls need to be around her big brother, she sees how much her siblings like her company and how willing the young Milkovich is to help with the Gallagher chaos.

"Really?" Mandy snorts, "Skankovich is welcome after all?" She retorts, huffing out a laugh as she hands Liam another piece of toast, laughing with him when they both pull a funny face. She doesn't care about being judged, she's just here for her brother, she can't help wanting to be around him right now.

Before Fiona can react to her words the rest of the Gallagher siblings are screaming lunch order requests at her. Jimmy gives her a sympathetic smile and he gently touches her shoulder as he brushes by her to put his coffee mug in the sink.

The rest of breakfast passes without incident and Fiona is just about to shoo the younger family members out of the house when the kitchen door swings open and in strolls Frank. Fiona and Lip look at each other, obviously thinking the same thing. Hoping Ian and Mickey don't come downstairs to see the Gallagher patriarch there. Mandy was obviously anxious too, but her concern flipped between what the two upstairs might do to Frank if they saw him there, and what she so badly wants to do to him for the damage he's caused. Both to her brother and her best friend.

As Frank searched the kitchen for money, mumbling about how after all of his years of sacrifice raising six kids he deserved some compensation, and anyway, whats his is there's and there's is his, share and share alike and all of that. Fiona tried desperately to get him to leave but that just made him protest further and raise his voice all the more. Lip tried to muffle the sound by making noise of his own, shouting fake instructions for his already waiting siblings to get the hell ready for school.

Mandy growled in frustration and jumped up to punch the already drunk Gallagher in the face, she stormed forward toward the counter he was leaning against but was stopped in her tracks at the sound of her brothers voice behind her.

"Frank fucking Gallagher!" Mickey scoffed from his place on the bottom step. His arms were crossed over his chest and his face was filled with disgust and a threatening rage. Ian stood behind him, hands on his hips and face unreadable. Both boys stared straight into Frank's eyes, who had flinched and turned at the sound of his name.

The man before them shuddered at Mickey's presence, he was scared. As far as anyone in that house was concerned, Frank Gallagher was a fucking coward, but now almost everyone wanted him to run. Because this time the threat was real. This time the threat was Mickey Milkovich, and he could tell by the way Franks face dropped that the old man had worked out just why everyone in the room was looking worried.

"Ah, Mickey," Frank said, raising his hands in welcome, hiding his fear behind mock bravado "Just the man I wanted to see." He smiled as he hesitantly stepped toward the older boy. "I have a business proposition for you..."

"That right?" Mickey cut him up, raising his head slightly and flashing him a sinister grin.

Frank stopped dead, as if just realising the threat for the very first time. "Yeah, I feel like we could really benefit from each others services. You see, I have fallen fowl of some of the wrong sorta people and you are only person I can think of to persuade them to back off..." he slurred. "Of course you will be paid handsomely for your efforts." He said with a cocky grin, like pandering to ego and offering money everyone knew he wasn't good for was all it would take to get Mickey on side.

"Hmm..." Mickey pulls his lips tightly together as he nods head. "Kinda make a habit of pissing off the wrong people don't ya Frank?"

Silence.

Mickey tilts his head to the side and drops his sarcastic smile, morphing his face into something truly predatory. Everyone in the room hold their breath as Mandy and Lip take steps backward, both, in that moment, feeling entirely too close to Frank Gallagher. Jimmy is standing behind Debbie and Carl, a soothing hand on each of their shoulders, however neither of them look scared. Not for Frank at least. Debbie is staring straight passed her father, straight at Ian, a concerned and almost apologetic look spread across her features. Fiona has Liam in her arms now, she knows she should stop this, tell them to go outside at least. But she doesn't know how Mickey will react, what she does know is that he has been pushed around a lot these last few weeks, as has Ian, and honestly, it was because of Frank.

Realising that Mickey isn't buying his bullshit, Frank smiles and raises his shoulders, feigning innocence. "OK, let's be smart here Mickey. I know you must be angry, hell I would be too..." he puffs out his chest to exaggerate his point, slamming his hands against himself in mock sincerity. "But... If you think about it... I did you a favour!" He thrusts his arms forward to gesture at the angry boy in front of him. Finding no understanding there, the old man looks to his 'son' standing behind the neighbourhood thug and Fiona can't help but notice Mickey step to the side. He was shielding her little brother, instinctively protecting him, and that look in his eyes says that he would do that no matter who the threat was. Fiona and Lip shared another look, they still don't understand how the pair had survived the onslaught of Terry, but for the first time they didn't need to because they saw everything in Mickey's eyes. Mandy was right, he would keep Ian safe no matter what. The Milkovich girl had noticed Mickey's move too, she looked at her brother with pride, a smirk gracing her lips as she saw the understanding in the oldest Gallagher siblings.

"Really?" Mickey scoffed, getting Frank's attention back to him, he turned to lean against the stairway, only removing his arm to gesture for Frank to expand on his previous comment before tucking it back into place.

The old drunkard was at a loss. He shook his head slightly before running his hand down his cheek. "Well," he offers pathetically, "He was gonna find out eventually." Frank was trying to put on a 'matter of fact tone' as he clung to his last defense. "I just sped up the process... Ya know... Ripped of the band aid." He exclaimed, violently mimicking the act. "Sure your scumbag father was mad, but now... it's over. You're free to live your life without the constraints of an abusive Terry at your back." He ranted proudly, honestly believing he had said enough to appease Mickey. His arms swung back as he leaned his shoulders forward and when Mickey didn't respond he let out a smug laugh, "And, ya know... What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Mickey doesn't have time to react.

-

He stands there silently listening, hearing the words that Frank Gallagher is spewing forward like fake wisdom. Listening as he acts like a savour, like what he caused was trivial. Like it didn't almost cost him his life, cost the boy he loved his life. Then the images of that day flash before his eyes, and all the days that followed. The loss, the hurt, the fear, the desperation. He sees his own battered body in the mirror as he frantically tries to wash off the blood. He sees his world crumble as he loses everything he'd been fighting so hard to keep. Then he sees Mickey. He sees the other boys face as Terry punches him mercilessly, repeatedly, the way he fights his father for him. He sees the older boys battered face, broken eyes, lost expression. He sees his Mickey weak and vulnerable as the Russian mounts him, hurting him in a way that no one has a right to do to another human being. He remembers the silence between them after that day. The heartbreak of Mickey's almost marriage, the feel of Mickey's fists. But it all comes back to that look in the Milkovich's eyes. Ian's hands bunch into fists as he remembers his Mickey so helpless, so afraid, so alone...

Ian can't stop himself. He pushes past Mickey and lunges at Frank. He hits him with a rage he didn't know he had. It isn't about the times that Frank attacked him, singled him out, degraded him or tried to push him away. No, he hit Frank for every time Mickey had had to feel that feeling. For every time he'd nearly been broken, for how close he'd come to giving up. He straddled Frank's chest as he threw punch after punch, hitting him for every bruise that Terry had put on Mickey's body, for every word he had put in his mouth.

Mickey didn't have a chance to react to Frank's words before Ian was pushing him out of the way. Mickey saw him knock his dad to the ground. He watched as Ian landed hit after hit. He couldn't see the look in the red-heads eyes but he knew what he was thinking. It was almost exactly the same as what Mickey had been thinking as Frank had spoke, the only difference being while he had focused on the hurt that Frank had cause Ian, the younger boy had been thinking about the pain he'd caused him. Mickey's heart skipped a beat at the thought of being defended so passionately, of being fought for so firmly. He looked at the boy he loved taking on his own father for him, mirroring their roles from in the store a few weeks ago. He couldn't help the pride he felt for his lover, his Gallagher, who was so much stronger than he thought any of them realised. But where Mickey was used to dealing with that intense hatred, that need for fists, where he had learnt to compose himself and draw out the fight, Ian had never had to. This was him losing it for the first time.

As everyone else stood glued to the spot, mouths open and eyes wide, Mickey hurled himself forward and grabbed Ian's shoulders. "Jesus fucking Christ Gallagher." He said as he pulled the red-head off of his 'father', falling to the ground to sit behind him. Ian's bloody hands shook as he leaned back into Mickey's hold. He was sat between the ex cons legs, with his arms raised to shield Frank from view.

"Shit!" Lip shouted after he'd gotten over the shock of his brothers outburst. "Debbie, go get Vee, Jimmy fucking help me." He instructed Jimmy to grab Frank's feet and the two carried him through to the sofa in the living room.

Debbie was just about to follow her brothers instruction when Fiona stopped her in her tracks. "I'll go get Vee, Mandy can you make sure these two get to school?" She pleaded as she moved around Ian and Mickey to get to the back door.

"Sure." The younger girl replied. Picking up her bag, she brushed passed the two boys on the floor. Rubbing her hand against Mickey's shoulder she leaned down and whispered "I love you." The statement could have been addressed to either boy as she gently touched Ian's shoulder as she spoke, kissing Mickey's cheek as she rose to her feet. Mickey scoffed at the contact and Mandy smiled before ushering Carl and Debbie toward the front door. Just as they'd reached it, however, Debbie dropped her bag and ran back to the kitchen. She knelt in front of Ian and kissed his forehead, whispering her own quiet I love you before she turned on her heal and ran back to where Mandy and Carl stood waiting.

"I'll tell the school that Ian's ill or some shit like that." The young Milkovich announced to Lip. She turned around and waved at her best friend, offering another small smile before the three of them left the house.

"Lip!" Mickey shouted. "Get me some damn water and a cloth!" He had his hands on Ian's shoulders, holding him in place against his chest. The younger boy had stopped shaking, he had his hands resting on his raised knees as he continued to lean against the ex con, taking comfort in his calm and steady breathing. "Hurry the fuck up!" He bellowed again when Lip didn't answer.

"Hold your fucking horses, I'm coming!" Lip shouted as he stormed into the room, rushing straight to the sink to fill up two bowls of water. He placed one down beside Mickey and tossed him a dishcloth, taking the other bowl and a rag with him back into the living room.

Fiona and Vee stormed into the kitchen as Mickey soaked the cloth in the salty, warm water. "Check on him," Fiona said softly, gratefully, "Then sort Frank out so we can get him up and the fuck out of here."

Veronica nodded as she moved closer toward Ian. "He's fucking fine," Mickey announced, "Just go and deal with that fuck head. I got Ian." And to Mickey's surprise neither woman argued, just smiled down at the ginger haired boy between his legs, then left the room.

"So..." Mickey exhaled, "Remind me never to piss you off Gallagher." He said calmly, smiling down at Ian, knowing that even though the other boy couldn't see it, he would be able to hear the smile on his voice.

Ian just snorted. "You're always doing things to piss me off Mick," he laughed, though his voice sounded weary.

"Yeah? Well never again." Mickey had never heard his own voice so calm, so calming. He rung out the cloth in his hands and took hold of Ian's fingers with the other one. He wiped the cloth over the boys bloody digits, pausing briefly when Ian hissed slightly at the pain. Ian dropped his head back to rest on Mickey's shoulder and the ex con continued. He didn't know where this tenderness in him was coming from but he didn't, for a second, comprehend stopping it. Once upon a time he would have snorted, pushed Ian and made a joke, but now, when Mickey had finished cleaning his knuckles, he pulled the other boy in closer and rested his hands back over the other boys shoulders. "You OK? " He asked sincerely.

Ian brought his hands up to brush down his face. "I dunno," he stated honestly. "I didn't mean to... Fuck Mickey... I just lost it." He lowered his hands back to his knees and exhaled loudly as he closed his eyes, once again leaning his head back against Mickey's shoulder. "I could have fucking killed him!" He breathed out a humourless laugh. "Fuck... I would have killed him!"

Mickey ran his hand along Ian's jaw and pulled the other boys head around to face him, "Good job I was there then," he said through a smirk. Good job I'll always be there he thought, and by the way that Ian's forced smile suddenly deepened into something real and honest, and beautiful, Mickey could have sworn that Ian had heard the thought too.

"You're not mad?" The Gallagher boy asked, "that I got to hit Frank after telling you not to?" Lining the question with a light hearted sarcasm, but deep down Mickey could sense Ian's need for an honest answer. The ex-con just shook his head, breathing and smiling into the back of Ian's neck as he did so. The younger boy leaned further into the touch and let out a small laugh to stop from moaning out the ex cons name. "You're not... I dunno... Scared of me?" He dropped the smile to look back at Mickey.

"Ha!" the ex con snorted. "Sorry to burst your bubble there Gallagher, but it takes a bit more than that to scare me." Mickey laughed honestly, he closed his arms tighter around Ian's shoulders as the Gallagher boy let out a soft laugh. "So, I'm gonna ask a-fucking-gain..." The older boy smiled as he pushed his head back into Ian's neck, eliciting a low groan from the boy in front of him. "Are... You... OK...?" He punctuated each word with a bite to Ian's neck and shoulders.

"Oh, I think so..." He growled his response softly. "Question is, are you gonna finish what you're starting with that damn mouth of yours?" Ian leaned further into Mickey, rubbing his lower back against the older boys inner thighs. The ex con let out a husky moan and Ian swung around to face him. Resting on his knees, the red-head cupped Mickey's face as he leaned forward to kiss him. Mickey responded immediately, deepening the kiss as the two boys scrambled to their feet and up the stairs, ripping at each others clothes.

 

-x-

 

When they came back down, a considerable while later, the house was empty. Not only was there no Frank but there was also no sign of their earlier scuffle. Fiona had left the boys breakfast on the table, with a note telling them to clean up after themselves because she wasn't a damn chamber maid. And later, as Ian stood at the sink washing up the remains of their meal, Mickey came up behind the younger boy and swung him around. He ran his hands down Ian's torso and when the taller boy made a smart-arsed remark about round three, Mickey just snorted and pushed his body harder against him. He looked into Ian's eyes as he spoke, "You ever need to talk about the shit that happened today..." Mickey held Ian's gaze seriously, "Then just fucking talk to me, OK?"

Ian could have made a sarcastic comment, a joke about sounding gay or some shit like that. He could have laughed, feigning bravado but he didn't. He just returned the other boys stare and whispered "I promise." Because although he had scared himself with his strength and ferocity, and although he hadn't been OK when he was first pulled off of Frank, he had felt the strong hands of Mickey ground him. He felt the security of Mickey's presence, knew the older boy would always be there. And no one was treating him differently, the ex con wasn't mollycoddling him, his family and Mandy didn't blame him, they were all still there and they all still loved him. Mickey still loved him. And Ian knew that Mickey understood, knew why he had pounced on Frank, knew that now he had finally fought for the older boy in the same way that the ex con had had to fight for him. The anger was gone now and all he felt was relief. So he just kept looking into Mickey's eyes, silently convincing him that he was OK then he leaned forward and kissed him, chaste at first but building to more. Neither boy could get over that feeling, get used to that touch, that taste, that bliss.


	5. The Brothers Milkovich

"Hey assface." Mandy said happily as she strolled into the Gallagher house without bothering to knock. She was finally getting used to seeing her brother in, what had almost been, her second home. She stopped in her tracks though when she caught sight of him, because she wasn't used to him being comfortable here. Certainly not comfortable enough to walk around topless.

"Don't say a fucking word!" He bellowed before she could make a comment about his state of undress. Mickey was sat on the sofa, feet propped up on the coffee table, with one hand resting on the arm of the chair and the other by his side, caressing a beer.

"There was an accident," Ian explained, grinning unapologetically as he strode in from the kitchen.

Mandy sat down by her brother as Ian fell back into the chair next to them. "Aww," she laughed coyly as she brushed a mocking hand across Mickey's cheek. "What happened?"

Mickey shook off her hand and waved her away from him, pushing her further down the couch. "That fucking demon spawn..." Mickey answered, waving his beer toward Liam, who was sitting innocently on the floor in front of Ian, chewing on a building block.

Mandy rose from her seat and scooped Liam into her arms. "What could this little angel possibly have done?" She asked sarcastically as she tickled the toddlers stomach, drawing happy laughter from him as he grabbed at her hair.

Mickey just growled at the happy display in front of him, so Ian put his arms in the air in a placating manner, laughing as he taunted the older boy. "Now Mickey," he joked, "Use your words."

The ex con shot the red-head a sinister glare before mumbling something unintelligible under his breath, probably a threat, and facing back toward the shitty sitcom re-run on the TV.

Mandy laughed as she looked down at Ian for an explanation. He shook his head in amusement then looked up at the girl still holding his brother. "Liam dropped some..."

"Threw!" Mickey exclaimed loudly. "He didn't drop fuck all, he threw his fucking lunch at me." He protested, "Can still feel the beans in my damn hair."

"He didn't get any in your hair Mickey." Ian scoffed, "If you were that bothered about it you would just take a shower."

Mickey snorted, he was about to respond when Mandy screeched "If either of you even fucking think of suggesting that Ian could join you in the shower, then I swear to god I will throw up on you both." The two boys grunted a laugh as Mandy feigned disgust before she finally sat back down next to Mickey with Liam still in her arms.

Liam immediately loosened himself from her grip and crawled across her lap to perch on the sofa next to Mickey, looking pleadingly up into his eyes. "Gallagher, can you control your fucking brother?" He barked out, but Ian just laughed and turned to face the television. Mickey feigned annoyance as he moved his arms to allow the youngest Gallagher to climb onto his lap and mimic everyone else's gaze on the TV set. He warned the oblivious toddler that one wrong move would end in fucking trouble, but the truth was that Mickey was used to the kid by now, enough to not mind the contact at least. The kid had taken to him for some reason and, really how could Mickey possibly hate someone too young to have done anything to properly piss him off yet. If he was being honestly he would admit that he liked the little brat, he was funny.

A few minutes later the stillness of the house was disrupted by Carl and Debbie charging into the living room, shouting at each other in the way that all siblings do before they calm down and move on without either of them offering any form of apology. Ian sighed and rolled his eyes, mentally gearing up for the events that would inevitably follow, sure enough when asked what the problem was Debbie just flung herself to the floor in front of him and Carl smiled mischievously as he looked around the house, searching for any signs of an authority figure.

"Fiona's not here Carl, what did you do?" Ian asked, already knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

Carl was in the middle of telling his, only semi-stunned, audience how he'd nearly broken a "Fat man's jaw, seriously the guy was a Blue Whale..." and how he would have finished too if Debbie hadn't "Screamed like a girl", when someone pounded on the front door.

Debbie pushed herself up to see who it was as Ian rolled his eyes at Carl's story. Mandy looked strangely proud of the young sociopath and Mickey looked both amused and thoughtful, like he could relate to that story, maybe even find a use for the kid. The female Gallagher reached the door without taking her scornful gaze off of Carl until she absolutely had to, when she opened it her eyes immediately went wide and she tried with all her might to slam the door shut again. But it was too late, the four boys shoved past her, as one yelled, "Where the hell is my piece of shit brother?"

Mickey shot up at the sound of Iggy's voice, making sure to grab a firm hold of Liam as he rose. He turned to pass the infant back to Mandy, having to fight to persuade the unwilling toddler to relinquish his hold on Mickey's neck. He then rounded the sofa to stand defiantly in front of his siblings. Ian, too, had shot to his feet and moved to stand behind Mickey, his face a mixture of worried and angry.

All Mickey could think was that they knew. They knew about him and Ian and they wanted blood. Naturally, his first thought was to deny and plead innocence, the second was to feign disgust, but ultimately, when he noticed Ian standing behind him, all of that went straight out of his mind and he instinctively moved to stand directly between his fuming brothers and the boy he loved. He was strong, and despite his brothers obvious anger, he wasn't scared, he was determined. He would continue to protect his Gallagher.

But the instinct was proved unnecessary because his brothers didn't look at the red-head, their hatred was directed at Mickey and Mickey alone. Iggy closed the gap between them and swung, his first punch landed but Mickey dodged the second. "You got something to fucking tell us Mickey?" He snorted.

"Don't fucking touch him!" Mandy shouted, now standing next to Ian, having put Liam down onto the chair. Both she and the red-head beside her were angry and scared, they knew the Milkovich siblings were brutal when they were pissed off and they could honestly say they had never before seen the four boys with so much hatred in their eyes. In a desperate panic both teenagers moved to step closer, stopping only when Mickey raised his hand to halt them in their tracks.

Mickey could feel their stares, could see the anger in Ian's pleading eyes even without looking at him, he could sense the concern radiating off of the younger boy. But for the first time since their initial hook up Mickey wasn't scared. He wasn't scared of his feelings, he would fight to defend them. He wasn't scared of Ian, he loved him and he would fight to defend him. He wasn't scared of the truth, everyone who mattered seemed to already know it now anyway and he wasn't scared of his family, he would fight them to defend this new life he was just starting to understand. The strength that came to him with the boy standing behind him outweighed their muscle and though there may have been four of them, they fought for a stupid and ignorant prejudice fueled by unjust anger. Mickey may have stood alone, because there was no way he was letting Gallagher or Mandy get involved in this fight, but he was fighting for everything that mattered, he was literally fighting for his world because Mandy and Ian were all that he had now.

"You really wanna fucking do this Iggy?" Mickey growled, leaning forward into a predatory stance, he glared at his four brothers showing them all how serious he was. But as his eyes scoured between the boys in front of him he caught the sight of someone else in the corner of the room, he glanced over and saw the petrified look on Debbie's face, then he turned only to see that same look on Carl. Because even the sociopath seemed to grasp how serious this was, he knew it wasn't fun, he knew it wasn't a game. Then he looked to Liam and saw an innocence he hadn't seen since Mandy was a baby.

It hit him like a tonne of bricks as his bright blue eyes looked deep into his sister dark, dangerous orbs that he couldn't do it, he couldn't take that innocence away from the three youngsters in the room. Not like this, not like it had been taken away from his sister, from himself, at such a young age. Watching violence erupt like second nature, born out of such a loathing and powerful hatred. Seeing such conviction in the eyes of those around them, such eagerness to cause pain to anyone, hell everyone they could find a reason to dislike, no matter how small that reason was, truth be told they didn't need one half the time, content as they were to just make something up. This was the South Side of Chicago, and these kids were Gallagher's, they had seen enough, even done enough already. They would be put through more than their fair share of trouble to survive, they didn't need to see this kind of hatred too.

This kind of hatred that was second, or maybe even first nature to him. Mickey had to shield them from it. He had to protect them from the Milkovich rage that has tainted him. The was burned into him when he was too young to deflect it, too young to know he should. Mickey didn't think he was ever innocent but these three still could be, so, with one last glance into Ian's eyes, Mickey faced his brothers again and dropped his defensive stance. "Because if you do then lead the fucking way, cause we ain't doin' it here."

"Good a place as any," Jamie said, impatiently stepping forward, tapping the baseball bat he was holding in one hand violently against the other.

"In front of fucking kids?" Mickey asked incredulously, a threat in his voice that wasn't missed by the four boys in front of him. "No fucking way. You wanna kill me for being a fag?" He snorted, mouth morphing into a sarcastic smile, "Well they don't need to fucking see it," the ex con shook his head as he gestured to the youngsters in the room. "Outside, now!"

Jamie spat at Mickey's feet as all four of them turned and headed for the door, obviously realising how serious Mickey was, and probably not caring where the fight happened as long as it did happen. As four sets of footsteps echoed through the doorway Mickey couldn't help but notice an almost reluctance in one of them. Joey had held his gaze for a few seconds longer than the rest of his brothers and the anger seemed to sag from him slightly when Mickey last spoke, a snippet of something, maybe a memory, flashed across his eyes. Maybe that was just wishful thinking but at this point Mickey would cling to any chance he could get.

Cling to it, he thought, but not dwell on it, not now anyway, he had no time now. He dropped his shoulders, ignoring Ian's protests as he brushed past him to retrieve his, still drying, shirt from the kitchen, pulling it on as he followed after his brothers and shutting the door behind him. "Keep this fucking door shut!" He yelled back before it had fully closed.

"Debbie, Carl, stay in here and look after Liam. Do not come outside." Ian demanded, pointing to his youngest brother sat on the couch behind him, keeping his voice as calm as he could whilst still showing how serious he was. Mandy was already at the door when Ian sprinted forward to join her.

 

-x-

 

"You got your fucking faggot boyfriend to back you up?" Jamie quipped snidely when he saw Ian step out of the house. Mickey half turned his head to see the two nervous figures standing at the top of the stairs to the Gallagher house and his chest immediately tightened, he didn't want Ian, didn't want either of them, to see this. The Gallagher boy had seen so much of Mickey fighting, struggling, losing, he never wanted him to have to watch it again because he knew how much it tore at the younger boy, but he also knew that Ian didn't see it that way, and that he wouldn't walk away, no matter how much Mickey wanted to protect him, Ian wouldn't leave him to face anything else alone. The ex con half smiled down to the floor, realising just how OK he actually was with that, before he turned back to face his brothers with a vicious scowl.

"You don't fucking look at him!" He shouted as he moved, as if to block Ian from view. "You got a fucking problem with this? You take it the fuck up with me!" He couldn't make Gallagher leave but he could still protect him.

"Aww, how fucking sweet," Iggy mocked, raising his arm and dropping his hand, thrusting out his hip in his best 'fag pose'.

"We gonna keep chatting? Or you gonna do what dad fucking failed to?" Mickey's voice was now calm, he was ready, he was strong, with Ian behind him he was alive. Noticing Tony's confused expression Mickey arched his body forward and patronizingly expanded, "You gonna try beat the fucking fag out of me?"

With that Iggy and Jamie sneered and lunged forward, Mickey shoved Iggy away and punched Jamie in the face. The good thing about seeing so many Milkovich fights was that they became predictable. Not many people could read his brothers but Mickey could, unfortunately this worked both ways and Jamie easily dodged his follow up fist. Then Tony was there too, then Joey, and fists were swinging wildly. Like all Milkovich battles, this was violent, ugly and untamed. The five of them became a mess of flying arms and swinging legs. Mickey connected more hits than he took, but there were four of them and one of him, he was going to lose.

At the top of the steps Mandy was struggling to hold Ian back. She knew that her brother wouldn't want him involved but he was stronger than her and he wasn't letting up, she was also at a disadvantage in that a part of her, a rather large part in fact, didn't want to hold Ian back, a part of her wanted to let her best friend go just so Mickey wouldn't be fighting alone anymore. Finally Ian managed to shrug off her grasp on his arm and in less than an instant he had charged down the stairs and hurled himself at the boy trying to pin Mickey down. Consequently,Mickey threw himself back to his feet and floored Joey with one punch when the latter turned on Ian.

Mickey and Ian fought side by side, as if in sync, they seemed to know each others movements as instinctively as they knew there own, and because of this they were able to use each other. Sure they both took hits, but they guarded each other, had each others backs, protected each other before themselves. And although they had both fought for each other before, this was the first time that they had done it together, fought as one. And in that moment, despite the lingering pains of each hit they'd taken, neither boy could deny that it felt damn good.

For Mandy, on the other hand, it was too much, everyone she had, everyone she loved, everyone who still cared for her were fighting in front of her eyes, battering each other with little restraint. She tried to keep calm, keep her face neutral, hands on her hips, body steady, but her insides were ready to burst. "Stop It! Just Fucking STOP!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

She darted down the steps and pushed the fighting boys apart. The adrenaline was wearing off, even the anger was waning in favour of tiredness now, so splitting them up was not as hard as she thought it would be. She pushed Mickey and Ian to stand on one side of her and her other brothers to stand the other. For a while all anyone did was breathe, breathe and exchange bitter scowls.

"He's still Mickey." Mandy pleaded to her brothers, she knew it was futile but she was desperate to stop this.

"He's a fucking aids monkey!" Jamie protested. Mickey had to stop Ian from stepping forward to punch the asshole who uttered those words. Neither boy cared about the statement, the insult was expected. No, it was the memory of the last time those words had been uttered, by who and what came next, that was why Ian's blood was now boiling and why Mickey almost didn't stop him, almost swung himself. Because he could see Terry in his brothers face then, he could feel the gun cracking against his forehead, he could remember everything...

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Mickey warned, his brothers scowled back but they knew that look in his eye. That look meant do not fucking push me, that look meant that Mickey would do something they would all regret.

"How long?" Joey asked, voiced filled with an almost forced sort of anger, because that anger was masking something else, some other emotion that Mickey didn't really know how to place. It almost sounded like desperation. He finally looked up from the floor and stared at Mickey, his eyes betraying his lack of loathing. "How long have you been a fucking fag? How fucking long have you known?" And there it was again, the anger, but not aimed at Mickey as much as it was aimed at the lie he's been living.

"How the fuck long have you known you're fucking straight?" The sarcasm in Mickey's voice was shielding his unease, he was shuddering, visibly anxious and uncomfortable with this conversation. Mickey squirmed and closed his eyes, turning and lifting his head to look at the sky as he pushed his hands through his hair frustratedly.

"So you've always been a fucking fag?" Tony retorted, the rest of the brothers showing their own ignorance as they looked to Mickey for a serious answer to such a ridiculous question.

"Because it's something you can just switch on and fucking off. You can just fucking wake up one day as gay." Ian snorted. He could see how much this was devastating Mickey, he wanted it over, wanted everyone to leave so they could deal with this together. Because Mickey ran from his problems, threw fists at them, anything to avoid actually dealing with them, unless it was just him and Ian. Mickey didn't run from Ian anymore, he didn't lash out, not after the overwhelming grief of the last time, when he nearly broke himself by nearly breaking his Gallagher. No, when it was just the two of them, Ian honestly believed that they could sort out anything.

"Jesus fucking Christ Mickey, you've been queer all of this fucking time!" This time it wasn't a question. Iggy ran his hands through his hair and looked exasperatedly at Mickey, who was obviously having trouble keeping his composure.

"All that means is nothings fucking changed!" Mandy yelled back, she was devastated for Mickey now, devastated for her family. Her eyes are begging them to get it, to see Mickey for who he's always been and she cuts Iggy off before he can scoff or make a snide remark, before he can say anything at all. "He's the same Mickey he's always been. The same Mickey who's been taking hits for all of us his whole fucking life!" She demands, desperation finally overcoming her. "He was a 'faggot'," she mocks the words with air quotations and a sarcastic tone, "When he took the rap for you on that fucking ABH charge," she said, staring at Tony, "Because you were so fucking scared of going to juvie. He was fucking gay every time Terry came home drunk looking for a fight, and Mickey deliberately pissed him off so only he got fucking hit." Tears were streaming down Mandy's face now as she looked at her other brothers and could see that they still weren't getting it, so she did what she had to do, she carried on, despite the fact that Mickey looked ready to be sick beside her. "He's the same Mickey who sorted out the bills every time dad pissed away the squirrel fund, made sure we had hot water and electric and shit. He threatened the guy who was after your fucking blood!" She snarled, pointing now at Jamie. "When dad did fuck all after you came home panicking, Mickey got him to back the fuck off!" She turned to Iggy, eyes now a flame with anger, "When you bust your arm in that stupid botched robbery and dad just told you to stop being a fucking pussy, Mickey got you free medical by blackmailing that fucking doctor!" And with that her head became awash with memories of all that Mickey had done. "He was the one who dealt with mum so we didn't fucking have to, he even distracted dad so he wouldn't take that shit out on us. And Joey, he was a 'fucking fag' when he broke the jaw of that douche bag teacher who gave you shit at school. He sorted your fucking probation officer out Iggy. Took care of your skank's fucking husband when he threatened to put your ass in jail Jamie. And he had your fucking back Tony, when you pissed off the wrong group of people and dad hung you out to fucking dry."

She looked to Mickey, who was now staring at the floor, with his head tilted to the side, probably doing his best to blank out everything that was being said. She pointed to him as she turned back to her other brothers and said, "He's been taking hits, literally jumping in front of loaded guns, for all of us since he could fucking walk, because that's what we fucking do, what we all do for each other, because family is fucking everything, right?" She dares her siblings to now reject the motto that had been there code of living since birth. "Us against the fucking world, the Milkovich siblings have each others back because who the fuck else is gonna! But now you dump on him because Terry fucking says so? Our sorry excuse for a father, who has done fuck all for any of us our whole god damn lives?" Her anger has depleted but she is incredulous now, and she's back to pleading.

"It's fucking wrong Mandy, he's bloody gay, it's unnatural." Iggy protests back, but her brothers faces have softened and she can see the conflict in their eyes. But before she can further her point, Mickey looks up from the ground and growls.

"How the fuck do you think I feel?" He asked angrily, honestly. "You think I don't know it's wrong, unnatural, fucking disgusting?" His face scrunched up at his own words. "I had the same fucking childhood as you, same fucking family telling me over and fucking over just how sick it is. I saw every damn fag bashing, heard every fucking smart ass remark, joke was on me though right, because I'm fucking one of them. I'm the god damn enemy, I'm who's fucking sick!" Mickey was shouting now, as loud as he dared without drawing attention from anyone who could overhear, painfully aware of how exposed this conversation was. Thankfully the street was deserted, just the right time of day for people to either be finishing work or starting happy hour at the pub. Looking to his sister, he could see Mandy's heart breaking for him, could feel Ian tense as he gripped the ex cons lower back in that, now familiar, touch. "You think I fucking wanted this? Hell, you really think Terry didn't do his best to beat it out of me the second he fucking found out? You really think I fucking like myself any more than you do right now?" He thumped his hands against his chest to prove his point. He may have accepted what he was but that didn't change his upbringing, all those years of homophobia drilled into him didn't just evaporate overnight. He loved Ian completely but a part of him still hated himself.

"So that's it? You just fucking give up?" Jamie shouted, stepping forward to stand level with Mandy, hands thrusting forward at Mickey. "Give up on being normal, give up on fucking family for him? For a faggy fuck with a god damn Gallagher?"

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Mandy screamed, she shoved Jamie back and stood in front of Mickey, shielding him from the disgust now back on her brothers faces.

"Dad gave him a second chance and he walked the fuck away, all to protect that fucking fairy." Iggy exclaimed, both defending and agreeing with his brother.

Ian's grip on Mickey's back tensed further and Mickey raised his hand behind his back to rest on the red-heads stomach, half to calm him, half to let him know he wasn't going to do something stupid and get himself sent back to juvie. He was there and his brothers weren't going to pull him away now. Of course, the contact drew the attention of the four other Milkovich boys, who all stared at Mickey's hand resting on Gallagher like it belonged there and all of their faces contorted into deeper scowls, they looked sickened, pained almost by the sight of that touch. Such an innocent thing to get such a dramatic reaction, and yet their expression was mirrored by Mandy.

She may have been furious at her brothers but she also understood them. She was not homophobic and she had no problem with her brother being with her best friend, in fact she was glad that two of the people she loved most in the world were able to find comfort together. That was not why she was disgusted. She knew how deeply Terry had drilled himself into all of the Milkovich boys, she had escaped it because she was a girl, a princess in her fathers eyes. But them, Terry had seen all of his sons as an extension of himself and he shaped them into exactly that. She knew her brothers loved Mickey, but she also knew that they had to hate him now, just like he hated himself, because that was how they were raised, it was all they knew. It's what Terry taught them. She knew that the only way to turn their hatred from Mickey, to distract them from it long enough for them to realise that Mickey was still the same, that they could still see him as the same, was to turn that hatred onto their father. And there was only one way to do that. Her heart sank as she thought about what she had to do, what she'd have to say, but she would do it gladly. She'd let Mickey down before but she'd do anything for him now, for her brother who she loved more than life. Because luckily for her, Terry wasn't the only one who saw her as a princess, who looked at her with protective eyes. Her brothers all loved her, they had her back, even against the Milkovich patriarch. She was, in fact, the only one they would take on Terry fucking Milkovich for.

"He raped me," she shouted, so they would all hear, so she wouldn't have to repeat it. She continued before she had to think too much about the words. "When I got pregnant and dad blamed Ian," she explained, staring at the floor. "It was him, he forgets who I am sometimes, forgets I'm not mum. When he gets too drunk to hit out at you, he comes to find me." Mandy smiled a broken smile and snorted out a pitiful laugh. "He'd never gone that far before and I haven't been around to let him since." She added, finally looking up and staring into Mickey's eyes, trying to convey to him that she was alright. She knew how angry this would make her brothers, but she also knew how furious and distraught it would make Mickey.

"What the fuck did you just say?" She was right, Mickey was seething. His wide eyes had shot to Mandy the moment she had spoken those first three words, his blood was boiling and his whole body shook with rage. He didn't need to look at them to know that his brothers were exactly the same, so he clenched his hands into fists as his sister gave him a desperate look. "I'm gonna fucking kill him!" He shouted, moving towards the gate, his brothers instinctively following his movements.

"Mickey wait..." Ian pleaded, concern in his eyes. He didn't want Mickey to go because their were only two outcomes to this situation. One was Mickey in a body bag, the other was Mickey in jail for murder.

The black-haired boy stopped and took a deep calming breath before he slowly turned to look at Ian, their was concern in the red-heads eyes, desperation maybe, but not shock. "You fucking knew!" Mickey bellowed, connecting all the dots as his face scrunched up in anger. His Gallagher knew about this and had kept it from him. In that moment Mickey didn't know what hurt the most, who he was the most angry at. His homophobic brothers, hating him for something he couldn't control. Mandy, because he'd done the one thing he'd promised never to do, he'd failed her in the worst possible way. Terry for every fucking thing he'd ever done, ever put them through, for ever laying a hand on Ian and on Mandy. Ian himself, the boy he loved unconditionally, for keeping this from him, for knowing how important this was, how much it would mean, and still not saying a fucking word. Or himself, for all the above, for who and what he was. For not being able to control any of it, for failing everybody hes ever cared about. "You fucking knew!" He whispered somberly looking into Ian's eyes. He was defeated and lost but he was still Mickey, and he was still fucking seething.

"Mick... I'm so sorry..." Ian reached up to try and cup Mickey's face but the older boy shrugged off the contact. "It wasn't my secret to tell..." He pleaded.

And Mickey could imagine him saying that to people, over and again, when they asked why he hadn't told them about Mickey, or about what he was going through, where he got the bruises. He could imagine Gallagher using that defense when all he wanted to do was be honest with whoever was asking. But it didn't lessen the blow. "And if I found out something about Fiona, or Debbie and didn't fucking tell you? Would that be a good enough god damn excuse?"

"Honestly..." Ian went to answer that no, it wouldn't have been nearly good enough. But how could he tell Mickey that the only other reason he had for not telling the ex con the truth was because he was scared this would happen. He knew Mickey would react like this, knew it meant he would lose him again. Ian knew how selfish that was but it was the truth and he wouldn't lie to Mickey now. Luckily though, Mickey interrupted before he could say anything more.

"Save it, OK. There is too much shit going on at the same god damn time. We'll fucking deal with this," he said, waving between himself and Ian, "Later." And he meant it, because they had come too far for them not to sort it out. "Right now though, we're gonna deal with our fuck up of a father, so you think you can resist the urge to fucking kill me long enough to do that?" He glared at his brothers, challenging them.

"No one touches Mandy, not even him! Everything else can wait, this is more fucking important." Joey took a step toward Mickey with his arms raised, a white flag of sorts. He turned to the rest of his brothers and silently willed them to agree. None of them needed persuading.

As the brothers headed toward the gate Mickey chanced a look at his sister, for the first time in a very long time, Mandy looked frail. He ran forward and pulled her close, hugging until he could feel her relax into the embrace. "I need you, Mick." She whispered into his ear, begging him not to leave her now, not to do anything stupid.

"I'll be fucking fine. You stay here and I'll be back before you notice I'm gone." He said, forcing a small smile onto his face, as comforting a smile as he could muster. Then he loosened his grip on her arms and slowly pulled away. He looked over to Ian, standing by her side, arm ready to comfort her the minute Mickey left. He tried to show him with his stare that this wasn't him giving up again, like he did when Frank walked in on them. He was angry but he wasn't running away, he just needed time to lessen the blow. Terry is violence, that's something he can deal with right away, something he knows. But Ian is talking, he's feeling and that's something Mickey has to figure out first. Ian obviously understood because he gave the older boy a knowing look and smiled a small smile of his own, albeit a forced one, just trying to show his support. Mickey just shrugged and turned to walk away. Ian wanted to say more, wanted to know more, he wanted this resolved now because he hated uncertainty when it came to Mickey. His mind jumped to worst case scenario every time the other boy wasn't by his side. But he didn't shout after him or grab his arm, he didn't do any of the things he wanted to because his brothers were watching with sharp eyes and he didn't want to cause the boy he loved any more conflict, any more pain.

To his surprise though, Mickey stopped in his tracks just a few steps away and growled to himself, turning back around the second he realised that now he couldn't leave it like that either. He couldn't leave it that uncertain, knowing just how the red-heads over emotional brain works. So, he slammed himself into Ian and grabbed his face as he smashed their lips together in a quick, sharp kiss. It lasted less than a few seconds but like everything between them it was intense and left them gasping for air. He broke contact as quickly as he made it and sprinted back towards where his brothers were waiting by the gate. When he noticed their expression Mickey shot his shocked siblings a look just daring them to fucking comment, showing them just how close to snapping he was, all it would take was for one of them to push him further. None of them made a comment though, their anger at their father still fresh and raw enough to out-way any reaction to Mickey. They just waited, knowing that they needed Mickey if they are going to confront their father, he was after all the only one of them who'd ever done it before. So, when Mickey pushed passed them and out of the gate, they just followed behind him, no one saying anything at all, until...

"So, whats the fucking plan?" Iggy asked no one in particular, as all of the Milkovich brothers walked down the, still empty, street.


	6. Mickey/Ian vs Family

"You could do what you said you was gonna... when you threatened him? Ya know... send his ass to jail?" Tony offered.

The Milkovich boys were sat in an alley near their house, trying to decide what exactly they were going to do about their father. Despite the fact that they had been sat there for the better part of an hour, time allowing their nerves to calm and their thoughts to collect, all five boys were still bubbling with pent up anger and frustration. They were getting no where.

"Are you fucking kidding?" Mickey replied, barely raising his head from its perch between his knees. He was sat on the floor, back against the wall, knees up and head down, his hands were clinging to the back of his neck in an effort to keep himself grounded.

"Oh, so it's OK to protect the Gallagher queer you're fucking, but not your damn sister?" Jamie bites back, furious eyes now pinned back on Mickey for the third time in as many minutes. "You fucking scared you'll have to join him in jail? You're fucking boyfriends worth it but your sister ain't?"

"Seriously?!" Mickey pushes himself up and hurls himself off the wall. "We back to fucking that again?" He spins on the spot, arms raised in his best 'what the fuck' stance, looking into the eyes of all of his brothers. Realising they were stood all around him should have made Mickey feel vulnerable, claustrophobic even, but not now, now it was a good thing. He had their attention. "Say I make good on the threats, say I send him down for fucking life, what the fuck happens then?" He rounds on Tony, who shrugs and stays silent. Then Jamie, who frowns and looks to the floor. Mickey turns to Iggy, "What happens to Mandy then, huh? With no fucking legal guardian she goes the fuck into care. Into some skank filled group fucking home." Iggy returns his fearless gaze but, also, stays silent. "As do you..." He says looking at no brother in particular. "This isn't like the fucking last time, it won't be just a two week stretch that our coke head aunt can fake guardianship for. If we can't even protect Mandy living under the same god damn roof, how the hell will we be able to if she's taken the fuck away." Guilt threatens to betray his stern voice then, the words reminding him how angry he is at himself for letting this happen to his sister. For not seeing it, for not stopping Terry. "And even if we could convince the fucking CPS, the bitch won't take us in, the only one she gives a shit about isMandy but even she's not welcome there now her douche bag boyfriends out of the joint. Rodney's in jail and wouldn't help us if he wasn't so that just leaves uncle fucking Tommy, good luck trying to convince anyone that retard is guardian material." Mickey pulls his hands down his face and snorts a humourless laugh, "Terry goes, we all fucking go..."

"So what the fuck do you suggest, do nothing. Tough guy Mick in front of your faggy boyfriend, but the minute you gotta back it up you turn into a pussy?" Jamie shoves his finger into Mickey's chest, but quickly backs up when Mickey knocks his hand away and advances.

"I fucking get it, OK. I'm a fucking fairy, a faggot, a queer..." He shouts, shoving back at Jamie, pushing his brother into the wall behind him. "I get it, you don't have to remind me... And after all of this is over you can be fucking done with me. I get that I make you sick, I get that as far as you're concerned I'm not your god damn brother anymore..." He exhales loudly. "But Mandy is still my fucking sister. Just as much as she is yours so pull your fucking head out of your ass. Forget about how much you fucking hate me for a second and focus all of that bullshit on what the hell we're gonna do now. Cause, no, I am not giving the hell up. I'm not chickening the fuck out. But I'm not gonna do something fucking stupid that's gonna end up destroying our little sister even fucking more..." Seeing the hate that's still present in his brothers eyes, Mickey growls a ferocious growl and pushes away from Tony. Turning on the spot to, again, address all of his siblings. "OK, you all got something to fucking say that can't wait? You hate me that much? Well you got five fucking minutes..." He raises his arms, goading any of them to step forward. "Come on, you got five minutes to do whatever the fuck you gotta do, say whatever you wanna say to get that shit out of your systems so we can go back to the matter at fucking hand and deal with our shithead father."

"COME ON!" Mickey yells at the top of his voice when no one else moves, his arms fully in the air, head turning from brother to brother. "Do Something!" He yells again, causing two of his brothers to jump back, the other two to drop their scowls and stare at the floor. "NO?" He questions angrily, he snorts when all four brothers just shuffle their feet and refuse his eye contact. "Well then stop with all that 'queer' bullshit, shut that shit down, you can let it all out again later. Right now we're dealing with Terry, so has anyone got any fucking decent suggestions that don't end up with one of you fuck wits dead or Mandy in a fucking group home?"

 

-x-

 

"What the hell Ian..." Fiona shouts, "This how it's always gonna be?"

When the oldest two Gallagher's had come home to find Debbie staring at the door, looking lost and worried, and Carl mirroring her expression from the couch, she had naturally asked what was wrong. Ian had run in from the kitchen to try and calm the situation but he was too late, Carl had already blurted out that the brothers Milkovich had been round. Debbie elaborated, moving to stand next to Fiona as she explained everything that had happened. Mandy walked in from the kitchen to stand next to Ian and leaned, tiredly, against the door frame, arms crossed against her waist.

"Like what?" It was a stupid question, Ian knows what she means, but he has no answer so he just let instinct take over.

"Trouble..." She expands, clutching onto her younger sister as she stared, glaringly, at Ian. "Is Mickey always gonna be bringing trouble into our lives..."

"Fuck you," Mandy retorts before Fiona can finish her sentence.

Fiona just rolled her eyes and looked back to her brother. "This it?" She gestures to their wary younger siblings, "This the life you choose, the boy you choose?"

"Don't start Fi," Ian begged, he was worried about what Mickey was going to do so he didn't want to deal with this right now, besides which, he could tell Mandy felt the same and he really didn't want her to have to hear this about her brother, she was a mess already and she needed comfort, not aggression.

"She didn't fucking start this Ian, your boyfriend did... again!" Lip shot back, "Or am I not allowed to call him that?" He mocked, sarcasm ripe in his voice, he was fed up and he wasn't going to bother trying to hide it.

"This wasn't his fault... His brothers just showed up... What was he..." His pleading got cut short by a huffed out laugh from both Lip and Fiona.

"Yeah, it's never his fault but it's always something." The eldest sibling remarked.

"Are you seriously blaming him for his brothers turning up?" Ian's anger was bubbling again, how was this Mickey's fault?

"Yeah, and who turns up next Ian? His father?" Fiona reluctantly lets go of Debbie when the youngster pushes herself free from her elder sisters grip. She turns back to Ian with her arms in the air, as if trying to get him to see reason. "And whose fault will it be if someone gets hurt next time huh?"

"That won't happen. They were after Mickey, no one here is in danger, they won't get hurt..."

"Yeah?" Lip asked, incredulously, "And what about you? You've been hurt plenty by Mickey... Or are you forgetting the tears, the worry, the fucking bruises?"

Mandy lurched forward and Ian only just managed to grab her around the waist. "You don't know what you're talking about Lip so just drop it."

"He's right Ian, Mickey is no good, this just proves that it's never gonna end with him, there will always be something to run from. Someone after him, hell he's so used to it by now he probably likes it that way," Fiona scoffs, hands now resting on her hips.

"He hasn't done a single fucking thing wrong. And you don't know the first thing about my brother, either of you, so just shut the hell up and keep your fucking judgments to yourself!" Mandy grabbed at Ian's hands trying to free herself from his grip, wrestling to get at Lip or Fiona, itching to shut them up.

"Mandy..." Fiona started but was cut off immediately.

"No she's right." Ian demanded, "You know fuck all about Mickey, you don't get to judge him... And he didn't do anything wrong, I know you won't believe that but frankly, I don't give a shit right now because I have other things to worry about..."

"Exactly Ian, worry, that's all you'll ever do with Milkovich thug number 1 by your fucking side." Lip shouted.

"Oh, because your choice in partner is so much better?" Ian raised his hand to cut Lip off before his brother could respond. "You chose fucking Karen, Lip. The girl you had to spend your whole life worrying about. Worrying when the next betrayal came, about the next slap to the fucking face." He knew bringing up Karen was a low blow, after everything that had happened to her after being hit by the car, but he was right nonetheless. "I will never have to worry about Mickey betraying me, never have to worry about him hurting me the way she did you, because yes he's run in the past but we're over that now. Mickey loves me, I'm more certain of that than I have ever been of anything else, anything except how much I love him. And in the last month alone he's fought for me harder than anyone else ever has. He's tried harder than Karen ever even fucking thought about trying for you. He's fought harder than Jimmy did, harder than Jimmy ever would." Fiona's face dropped, she looked both hurt and angry, ready to either cry or punch Ian. "I will never have to worry about him screwing me over, or leaving me behind" the words 'the way those two did you' were not spoken out loud but the implication was there. And, as if hearing the words was finally letting Ian acknowledge them for the first time, he realised how honest they were, how much he believed them. "Nothing that happened today was Mickey's fault, he did everything he could to protect Carl and Debbie. But you're right, there will be trouble following Mickey, he's a fucking Milkovich, he's grown up with that chaos. He likes to fight, he pisses people off, he's a thug to the whole world, but not to me. I knew what Mickey was before this thing started, he's never pretended to be any different. Never made any promises that he could be. Because that thug you guys will never be able to truly understand, that is who Mickey is. And I would never ask him to change, not a single thing about himself, just like he's never tried to change me. That's who he was when I fell in love with him, that's who I want him to always be. If that means I gotta worry about shit like how many bruises he comes back with then fine, better that than how many other people he's fucked, or what fucking lies he's telling me."

Mandy smiled her first real smile since her brothers turned up, she dropped her hand and entwined her fingers with Ian's, squeezing tightly, showing him how grateful she was, not just for what he'd said but, mostly, for meaning every word.

"Look, Mickey's not perfect..." Ian said, trying to pacify the situation.

"Not perfect?" Lip shouted, disbelief clouding his voice, "Tell you what though, you're right, I won't ever understand...I will never fucking know what it is about him you like so fucking much." There was still a hurt in his voice that Ian couldn't bring himself to feel guilty for because he was too annoyed at having this same old conversation, over and over like either side think the other will actually listen.

"It's not about him OK, not even about me, it's about us. It's about who we are together!" He said honestly, not knowing how to possibly explain what he means but refusing to give up. "He makes me strong, makes me honest, makes me feel alive, keeps me... well... fucking me! Mickey knows more about me than anyone else, more about what the hell I'm capable of, what my damn dreams are... And he learned all of it without meaning to, without trying, without even wanting to at first. And I know him better than I know myself half the time. That's what we are for each other, we keep each other grounded, keep each other real. We may be fucking opposites in your eyes but that doesn't matter. Apart we, like, drift to separate worlds, separate lives that mean nothing, at opposite sides of life. But together..." He said with a smile, "Together we draw each other closer, meet in the god damn middle and can't fucking get enough... He makes me happy Fi, Lip... he is my life now."

"Ian you're still young..." Fiona starts to say.

"Yeah I am, young enough not to care about bullshit like age mattering a damn. I'm not stupid Fi, I know my own mind."

"And you're..."

"No, no fucking more OK. I'm done explaining this because nothing I can say will be enough and I've said it all before by now anyway. The fact is you're right about one thing only, I am gonna spend a lot of my time worrying, but it won't be because of who Mickey is. It's because of who I am, I'm a worrier, but I trust Mickey with my life and just one fucking look from him and all my worries are gone. I'm not giving him up because you don't approve and I'm not gonna keep justifying myself to you because you won't get it. He's trying his fucking hardest to fit in, to make this easier on me but none of you will budge. You hate him, fine, but you don't get to judge him because if it comes down to it... I'll follow him anywhere, anytime... Every time!" Ian looks down to Debbie when he sees that reassuring smile creep onto her face. He smiles back as he squeezes Mandy's hand tight, turning away from his stunned older siblings and looking into the eyes of his best friend. "They'll be fine Mands, he'll be back, he promised and he knows I'll fucking kill him if he breaks a promise."

And Ian believed Mickey would be back. He wouldn't do something he would regret, he wouldn't do something stupid now, something he couldn't come back from. Ian knew that Mickey wouldn't leave them now, wouldn't leave him. The older boy may be mad at him right now, furious that he kept that secret, but Ian knew from that last kiss that he would have his whole life with Mickey to make up for it. Something in his eyes conveyed that honesty to Mandy and she relaxed her shoulders and raised her eyebrows as she smiled to the floor.

Both ignored Fiona and Lip's protests as they turned back into the kitchen and sat at the table to wait.

"He's right ya know." Debbie said softly after Ian and Mandy had left the room. She was now sat next to Carl on the couch, retrieving her school books from her bag to start her homework. "When his brothers barged in here Mickey shot up straight away, he told them to back off, told them whatever they wanted to do to him they would have to do it outside. Said there was no way he was letting us see that stuff."

Fiona frowned, obviously finding it hard to believe that Mickey could think like that, could care about boundaries, about protecting relative strangers. Lip leaned his arms onto the back of the couch and looked down at his brother and sister sitting there. "You don't have to protect him Deb..."

"Jesus Lip, she's telling the truth. The guy shoved his retard brothers out the door and slammed it behind them. Told us 'to keep it fucking closed'." Carl smiled fondly at the memory, fondly because he saw the strength in Mickey then, saw the strength in Ian when he followed. Yep, as far as Carl was concerned, there was a lot he could learn from those two.

Lip looked back at Fiona, who returned his exasperated stare.

"He's right about the other thing too..." Debbie continued. "You don't try very hard to hide the fact that you don't like Mickey very much. I mean, I'm surprised he's lasted this long without flipping out at someone, not the calmest of people is Mickey Milkovich." Debbie was smiling as she spoke, a fondness present in her voice. When Fiona snorted in response the youngest female Gallagher turned from her books at looked at her sister. "Fi, you asked us to give Jimmy another chance, after the fake double life thing, the leaving and coming back married, the fleeting 'wanna be a doctor again' phase. And we did, because we can see how important it is to you. And Lip, the stuff Karen has put you through in the past and you forgive her for all of it without a second thought. But what... We can't do that for Mickey because he's just a Milkovich thug?"Debbie huffed out a laugh, "Well people in this neighbourhood say plenty of stuff about us Gallagher's too..."

"Oh you against us now too Deb?" Lip interrupted.

"No Lip, but the fact is Mickey hasn't actually done anything wrong, he's stuck to all of our rules, even though they're stricter for him than they are for any of us. He lets Liam climb all over him, even let him draw on his arm in permanent marker that time, when it was the only thing that stopped him crying. Yeah he's temperamental, swears too much and hates almost everyone he speaks too, but he loves Ian and he shows it everyday by just staying here with him despite obviously being uncomfortable most of the time. I mean, what will be enough to get you guys to cut him some slack?" Debbie doesn't wait for an answer, she just turns back to her books and focuses her attention back on her homework, smacking Carl's hand away when he reaches to grab a particularly sharp pencil from her pencil case, just on the off chance that he plans on using it as a weapon.

Lip drops his head against the back of the sofa, before raising himself up and turning to walk past Fiona and up the stairs to his room, shaking his head as he moves. Fiona just looks from her sister to the kitchen, to Ian sat talking to Mandy with a smile on his face as she tells him a story from the Milkovich childhood years. She sits down on the bottom step and puts her head in her hands as she tries to take everything in.

 

-x-

 

"Fuck this!" Iggy shouts as he turns on his heels and runs towards the Milkovich house.

"Iggy, fucking DON'T!" Mickey yells as he and the rest of his brothers dart after him.

Iggy throws the front door open and hurls himself onto Terry, who is sat on the couch watching TV with a beer in one hand and the other down the front of his trousers. Terry reacts just a little too late, catching Iggy's fist on his cheek. He takes the punch without a flinch though, then he grabs his son, flips them and pins him to the couch. He's in the middle of telling his son to calm the fuck down when Mickey charges into the room shouting at their father to get the fuck off of him.

"You say that to me a lot Mickey!" Terry growls as he turns to face his gay son. He eases his grip on Iggy's throat, allowing the boy to gasp for air. Terry straightens up and starts to move toward Mickey, but before he can say anything more his other sons storm into the house. Mickey takes advantage of his father being distracted as he puts all of his strength behind a punch that connects with his fathers cheek, crushing his nose as his hand follows through with a force that he hadn't honestly expected. Iggy manages to stumble off of the sofa just as Terry falls back onto it, shaking the dizziness away as he looks between his sons.

"You piece of shit..." Jamie snarls as he moves to stand next to Iggy, who's back on his feet and glaring at their dad.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Terry shouts back, "You defending this fucking faggot?" He questions, violently pointing toward Mickey as he raises himself out of his seat.

Mickey didn't hear the next few words spoken, because, as he stared into his fathers eyes, all he could see was Mandy, all he could think about was what was going through his fathers mind as he entered her room, her bed, her space. He thought about Ian, about that panic he felt when Terry had walked in on them and lunged at the red-head, that same fear when he found out from his almost wife that Terry had gone after Ian again. He thought about all the times he had been to juvie, how when he was there it was one of his brothers that had been taking the hits when Terry got drunk, how it would never end with his father. The constant cycle of violence that had enraptured all of the Milkovich children, trapped them all in a world with only Terry as the fucking guide.

When he sees Terry step toward Joey he loses it, he throws himself forward and headbutts his father for the second time in as many months. His father fights back as he falls and, with Iggy holding the rest of his brothers back, Mickey lets loose on all of his emotions. He takes hits as often as he lands them and can feel the blood pooling at his mouth. Can feel the moisture in his eyes as they try to compensate for the pain in his face. When his dad throws Mickey onto the coffee table in front of the sofa, Mickey only just manages to kick the bigger man off of him. That's when Iggy takes over. As Joey pulls Mickey to his feet Iggy throws punch after punch to his fathers chest and head, connecting only half of them. Terry just laughs as he spins Iggy around and kicks him in the back of the knees, taking his legs out so he falls to the floor hard.

"You fucking touch Mandy again and I will kill you myself!" Jamie shouts as he lunges at his father. Mickey tries to stop him but Terry has already blocked the attack and thrown Jamie to the floor.

"What the fuck has this fucking queer been telling you?" Terry shouts at all four of Mickey's brothers. His brows furrowed in disgust at the implication he would hurt Mandy.

"Oh that's fucking right," Mickey laughs in disgust of his own, "You probably don't even fucking remember. Too damn drunk right?" He spat out as his father glared at him in warning.

"Shut the f..." He tried to respond.

"You fucking raped her!" Jamie interrupted, spitting blood onto the floor in front of Terry's feet. "When she got fucking pregnant and you went after the Gallagher boy, it was fucking you all along!" His rage was making him desperate, sloppy, and Mickey knew that wasn't a good combination against a man like Terry.

"He tell you that?" Terry scowled at Mickey, stepping forward like a predator stalking his prey.

"Mandy did." Joey answered.

Terry's face transformed to one of pure horror as he seemed to weigh up what was said, the horror soon turned to rage though, as he threw himself on Joey for even daring to suggest such a thing. Mickey managed to come between the two, pushing his father back enough to squeeze his body between the pair. "Touch another fucking one of my brothers and I will fucking kill you where you stand!"

Mickey was knocked down by another blow to the face, he rolled onto his back in time to see Terry hunch over him with hate in his eyes.

Joey watched, as if in slow motion, he saw his father look at him with ugly, disgusted eyes. He saw the older man advance with a fist raised. He knew what came next, he'd been on the end of that fist before. Then he saw Mickey push between them without hesitation and remembered what Mandy had said earlier. All of the things she'd said about Mickey being the same now as he ever was, because Joey did remember. He remembered each example she'd given, he remembered the countless others she hadn't. He thought about the Milkovich 'code', his siblings protecting each other when no one else would. He remembered every time any of his brothers had his back, every time Mickey defended him, took a hit for him, helped him without question or regret. And maybe it was wrong, and maybe he did hate this new part of his brother, well he did hate it, there was no maybe there... But... He didn't hate Mickey, not really, he couldn't hate Mickey. Because Mandy was right, he was still the same, still his brother who didn't hesitate and didn't back down. He was still his brother and, despite all of the new awkwardness, the uncertainty, he knew he still loved him, deep down, as much now as he had done yesterday. So he ran. He saw Terry peering over Mickey's bruised body and he ran out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.

Terry raised his hand to aim another punch at Mickey's face, when Iggy smashed his foot down on Terry's shoulder, pushing the older man onto the floor as Mickey scrambled to his feet. The Milkovich patriarch laughed loudly, stretched out his arm and reached under the couch. Before Mickey could drag him away the oldest Milkovich had grabbed hold of an old, rusty, tire iron and threw himself up into a standing position. He snarled as he turned to face his sons with a weapon clenched in his fists. It was then, as he looked round to make sure all of his brothers were behind him, that Mickey noticed Joey's absence, Joey who had turned up to the Gallagher's with a bloody baseball bat, he wandered where that damn bat was now that they needed it.

"This fucking butt digger is the enemy, NOT me!" Terry growled, raising the tire iron above his head. "I dunno how he made Mandy say whatever the fuck she said but he's the disgrace, the abomi-fucking-nation, not me. And he isn't part of this fucking family no more!" Mickey tried to hide the flinch that threatened to escape him as Terry moved forward to swing the tire iron at his head...

"Leave him the fuck alone!" was shouted suddenly from behind their father, followed by the unmistakable click of a gun. All five Milkovich's turned to look at Joey, stood in the doorway of Mickey's room with the tattooed boys gun aimed directly at Terry. He was gripping the gun so firmly that his knuckles were white, but he wasn't shaking or shying away. He was calm, confident, and fucking serious.

"You protecting this Faggot?" Terry yelled, not lowering his own weapon.

"I'm protecting my fucking brothers, and my sister!" He answered without missing a beat.

"I'm your god damn father boy, you need protection from me?" He asked angrily, honestly not understanding where this was coming from. He didn't waste time wondering though, didn't care. He bypassed the why's in favour of straight up hatred and loathing. The ferocity oozing from his pores like sweat.

In all honesty Joey didn't know where this was going, he didn't have time to think past grabbing the gun. He was as a loss, but he didn't let the uncertainty show.

"Yes!" Mickey answered for him. "This whole fucking family does, so here's whats gonna happen..." He growled at his father. "You're gonna leave, go lick your fucking wounds, and mend your damaged pride or what-the-fuck-ever. Drown your damn sorrows at the nearest fucking bar."

"That it?" Terry spat out, not turning away from the gun pointed at his head.

"No, then you're gonna keep fucking going." Mickey continued, hoping his father was still too stupid to realise that they needed him, officially speaking, as guardian. Hoping he wouldn't have figured out the kind of leverage he had. Terry disappears for months at a time, no one will question if he isn't around. No one will care enough about the Milkovich children to bother with the CPS, so as long as nothing is official then Terry can go as far away as fucking possible.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me..." the disbelief in his fathers voice was coupled with the anger already present.

"He isn't!" Iggy affirmed, as he stepped forward to relieve Terry of the tire iron now dangling by his waist.

Terry scowled at Iggy but didn't move to stop him as Joey coughed and stepped forward, reasserting his warning by thrusting the gun forward and further tightening his grip around the handle.

"This is my fucking house!" Terry shouted with a ferocity that would usually have had his sons cowering behind him, their resolve stood strong though and he knew then how serious they were.

"And you're gonna fucking leave it," Mickey declared. "Else one of two things are gonna happen... Either he's gonna blow your fucking brains out," he taunted, gesturing to Joey who narrowed his eyes and took a slow step forward, firing off a warning shot just above everyone's heads to show how serious he was. No one worried about the neighbours calling the police because gun shots were regular things in the Milkovich house.

"Or?" Terry responded with a defeated humour replacing the disbelief in his voice.

"Or, we're gonna back Mickey up when he makes good on those fucking threats he made!" Iggy answered before Mickey had a chance to say the words.

Terry stared at the boys surrounding him, eyes moving slowly from one to another, before Mickey snorted and reached into his pocket. He grabbed some money and threw the notes at his father. "That should see you through a couple of rounds..." He sneered at his old man, "Now get the fuck out of here!" He shouted, thrusting his arm towards the door.

Terry growled as he bent down and picked the money off of the sofa, only briefly taking his eyes off of his sons. "This is not fucking over!" He snarled as he backed away to the front door, not bothering to gather any stuff because he meant what he said. "You better sleep with one fucking eye open boy!" He yelled, the comment meant to scare all five boys, but the threat directed mainly at Mickey, Terry pointed to him with an intensity that would have made him shudder were it not for the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

After they heard the smashing of a few bottles, and some other large bangs from any number of the pieces of junk in the garden, they boys exhaled a sigh of relief when they finally heard the gate slam shut. Mickey ran his hands through his hair as Joey lowered the gun and Iggy dropped the tire iron on the floor.

"That it?" Tony asked naively, "It over?" He dared to hope.

"No fucking way." Mickey said with a conviction that had Tony shuddering at the prospect. "You all got places you can go?"

"Why?" Jamie responded, looking both confused and frustrated, knowing that they hadn't really resolved anything.

"Because he could come back at any fucking time so it's best not to be here when he bloody does!" Mickey pointed out. "This shit ain't over and now he's fucking angry, so no one stays here until we're sure he's fucking gone and even then you sleep with one eye open and all doors fucking locked."

"So what the fuck was the point in any of this?" Jamie is angry again now and Mickey, Joey and Iggy all huff out agitated groans, while Tony just looks plain worried.

"It bought us some fucking time to figure out what the hell to do next." Iggy explained frustratedly.

"How much time?" Tony asked, sounding almost desperate.

"Depends how long he stays scared of Mickey's threats," Joey answered calmly, he walked over to his brothers and placed the gun down onto the coffee table.

"Depends how fucking long it takes him to realise how god damn empty they are!" Mickey deadpans.

"Then what?" Jamie asks, taking a step toward Mickey and looking straight into his eyes, showing him the anger still there.

"By then we'll have figured out a more permanent fucking solution." Mickey shot back, almost sarcastically, taking a step forward of his own.

The tension was mounting again and Tony took a step away from his brothers. Mickey could tell that Jamie was getting ready to move, to do what he wasn't sure, to punch him maybe, to yell at him...

"I can stay with Megan," Joey said, trying to distract the quickly angering boys, "Her old man's fucked off with his missus, got the house to herself... Sure she wouldn't mind putting up any of you up as well?"

"I got someplace." Iggy responded.

"Well I haven't..." Tony almost shouted, looking back to Joey.

"Well that's fucking settled then, Jamie... What about you?" He looked at his brother, who was still staring daggers at Mickey. Unflustered and unafraid, Mickey stared right back.

"This..." Jamie said, pointing to the spot their father had just left from, "Doesn't change fuck all. You're disgusting, a fucking pervert... And you ain't my god damn brother!" He snarled before turning on his heal and waltzing out the door.

Mickey didn't react, didn't flinch away or sigh. His heart broke at the look in his brothers eye, the loss he felt the moment he realised just how serious Jamie was, but he wouldn't let that show. "Anyone else?" He said calmly, raising his hands in question, looking around at his remaining brothers.

Tony's expression contorted in disgust, he spat at the floor by Mickey's shoe and turned to walk away, growling 'fucking aids monkey' under his breath. He didn't leave the house though, just made his way to his bedroom to collect whatever he needed to take to Joey's girlfriends place.

Mickey couldn't help but grimace at that particular phrase. He closed his eyes and slightly tilted his head up and to the side, before controlling his emotions and opening his eyes to look at Iggy, silently asking for his input.

"What you are Mickey... It ain't natural... It ain't OK..." He looked like he was going to say more but, instead, just sighed an annoyed breath and followed Jamie's lead, walking out of the house without a backwards glance.

Mickey clenched his lips together as he looked toward Joey, who had, until now, stayed perfectly silent. The two boys just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, so long that Mickey was starting to drop the forced indifference from his face. His eyes betraying his plea as he silently begged Joey to say something, anything. And Joey wanted to, he really did, but he couldn't, because he had no idea what to say. He had remembered all those things that Mickey did, and he did know that deep down he couldn't hate him... But he couldn't accept what he was, he could hate that, he would always hate that his brother was gay. Hating that was all he knew, all he understood, and he couldn't stop, not just like that.

Joey let out an exasperated sigh as he lowered his head to break eye contact. "Sorry man..." He whispered, shaking his head, not sure whether he even really meant for Mickey to hear it or not. And with that he turned away from his brother and walked to the door, stopping only to yell for Tony to hurry his fat ass up. Tony bolted to his side carrying a duffle bag over his shoulder and the two walked out of the door without a glance at Mickey.

When he heard the gate click for the last time Mickey stumbled backwards, releasing a painful breath as he felt the air knocked out of him. His whole life was defined by his family, he loved them more than he could ever admit and now they were gone and he had no one left except Mandy. He knew that should be enough, that his sister would always be by his side and that should count for every thing. But it didn't, not in that moment. In that moment Mickey was alone. Alone in a house that held so many memories, memories of pain and suffering, even fucking rape, memories that he wanted to forget. To forget in favour of the good times, playing poker with his brothers until three in the morning, drinking and laughing with his family as they swore and ranted at each other, anything to avoid showing that they gave a shit. All of which was redundant because they knew they would always give a shit, it was what Milkovich's did for their own. Only now they really didn't, and those memories hurt even more than the painful ones because the promise of them, the stability behind them, was now broken. Shattered and disregarded. And Mickey was lost, and broken, and by himself. He stumbled back, onto the floor and pushed himself up against the wall behind him, sitting with his knees raised and head in his hands, angrily running his fingers over his moistening eyes, determined not to cry. And then his phone rang...

Ian... His name flashing on the screen of Mickey's stolen phone like it belonged there, like it never had to be anyone else. Mickey stared at the name through his now blank expression. He stared at the name of the boy who had cost him all of this, Mickey hadn't felt anything before, never for anyone but family, not until he met his ginger haired Gallagher. He stared at the name as his tense features started to relax against his will. His wide eyes softened of their own accord and Mickey let a single tear fall as his mouth twitched into the beginnings of a barely their smile... "Hello?"

"Mickey? Look, I'm sorry I called, I know you got stuff to deal with, I just figured if you were busy you wouldn't answer ya know? And I'm not checking up on you, I know you'll handle every thing, and I know you'll be back soon... Not that you have to rush back if you don't wanna... You know I'm just... Fuck... I just... I'm impatient OK? And I just wanted to hear your fucking voice I guess..." He said in one breath, huffing out a small sigh as he finally finished.

Mickey, for his part, just stayed silent. He listened to Ian, listened to that voice. That fucking voice that Mickey hadn't realised he so desperately needed to hear, that instantly made things just that little bit more bearable. Mickey tilted his head back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes, one more single tear falling. Knowing that no one was there, no one could see, Mickey allowed his mouth to smile again, properly this time, small and quick, but a proper smile. "I'm on my way..." He said softly.

Ian hesitated, "Mick, I love you..." He said, knowing something was wrong, immediately understanding what it was because it didn't take a genius to figure out how his brothers were going to react. Trying to reassure Mickey that it wasn't all for nothing.

Mickey jumped to his feet and sped to the door, he marched out of the house and down the steps, because Ian was right. It wasn't for nothing. That pit in his stomach that still ached with the loss of his family, that was nothing now, not compared with the ache he felt, the pure need to see Ian, to touch him. To reassure himself that he was there. He was still angry as hell that the younger boy had kept this secret, but they both knew it didn't matter because whatever Gallagher's reasons Mickey would forgive them, hell he would forget them soon enough. Because Mickey's life felt like it began and ended with Ian now. He loved his family and he already missed them, still felt the pang of loss from earlier, but Ian made that OK. Ian gave it all a reason and Mickey knew that to keep his brothers he had to lose Ian and that was something he couldn't comprehend. Something he could not and would not do. Mickey would choose Ian every time and knowing that didn't take the hurt away but it stopped the feeling of being alone because Mickey knew he would never be alone. And suddenly the power was his again because he chose this, he chose Ian and he didn't regret it, not for a second.

Mickey was only half way back to the Gallagher house when he saw a familiar figure rushing toward him. A figure that made him quicken his pace, urgency overtaking him, a feeling so intense it was blinding to both boys. Ian had known something was wrong and he just couldn't wait any longer, he heard Mickey's voice and it echoed through him like a tidal wave, shattering his self control. He needed to see Mickey, to touch him, to reassure them both so he darted out of the Gallagher house, telling Mandy to wait there, which, thankfully, she did. There could have been a hundred people in the streets around them and Ian wouldn't have noticed, or even cared. Luckily though, the streets were empty, and the boys crashed together, dragging each other into the nearest back alley and when they stopped at the end of it Mickey spun Ian around and shoved him against the wall.

"Are you O...?" Ian tried to ask but Mickey cut him off in a kiss that was just so them, the passion and desire seeping from there entwined bodies as hands roamed and lips collided. They both pulled the other impossibly closer, it should have hurt them but neither complained because the contact was what they wanted, needed. Right then and there it was all that was left in the world.


	7. Mickey vs Ian

"I'm just here for my brother... And I ain't going fucking anywhere till he gets back..." Mandy barked at Lip after his latest over-dramatic exhale obviously aimed at making the young Milkovich uncomfortable. She raised her head slightly from where it had been resting in her hands, her elbows propped up on the kitchen table. She tilted her head and gave Lip a glare that challenged him to argue.

Before Lip could respond though, the front door flung open and Mickey charged through the living room and into the kitchen. Mandy jumped up and into her brothers arms, she clung on and nestled her head into his neck. Ian entered the kitchen a few moments later, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest and his eyes fixed on the hugging Milkovich's in front of him, a small smile tugging at his lips. Lip returned the milk to the fridge and turned to face his brother, resting one arm on the counter separating the kitchen, the other hand on his hip. "He OK?" He asked, voice dripping with fake concern and sarcasm.

"Fuck you." Ian replied, eyes not looking away from Mickey and Mandy, who were still clinging to each other, swaying slightly from side to side. Their was no anger in Ian's words though because he was more focused on the sight before him than on his brother. He laughed to himself because he knew the hug was lasting too long for Mickey, knew the once affectionate swaying was now more Mickey trying to end the contact and Mandy refusing to let go. He couldn't blame his best friend, if Ian had his way the two of them would still be back in that alley they had all but collided into, a tangled mess of limbs on the dusty floor. He too had been loathed to let the older boy go, just to have to share him with the world again.

"Nice..." The older Gallagher responded, "Fi went to get some stuff for dinner, hope you didn't work up too big an appetite..." He quipped before brushing past his younger brother, slinking into the living room and throwing himself onto the couch.

"Is Mickey back?" Carl screamed from upstairs.

"Yeah!" Ian shouted back, still not looking away from the boy he loved, who had now managed to push Mandy back far enough that he could look at her. The two were silent but it looked like a whole conversation was passing between their eyes.

Carl hurtled down the stairs into the kitchen and flung himself into the chair Mandy had just gotten out of. "Kill anyone?" He asked Mickey, smile on his face and eyes pleading for details.

Mickey broke eye contact with his sister, looked down at the sociopath beside him and huffed out a laugh. "No," he said calmly, "Got a few good hits in though."

Carl's eyes lit up and Ian could see the questions forming a queue in his brothers mind. But he could also see the questions in Mandy's eyes and her need was greater, so he pushed himself off of the door frame and marched to his brothers side. He pulled him out of the chair and said "Living room... Now." The smile on his face told Carl that he wasn't in trouble and the two, albeit reluctantly, left Mickey's side and made their way to join Lip in front of the TV.

"We'll finish this later..." Carl said as he turned to face Mickey again, gesturing a finger between them, his tone turning the statement into an, almost desperate, question.

Mickey turned and smirked at the future brawler. "Sure, whatever kid," he exhaled before dropping his smile and turning back to his sister.

"Oh yeaaah." Carl smiled as he jumped onto the sofa next to Lip, making sure to bounce as much as possible and generally annoy his oldest brother. Smirking wider when Lip took the bait and swung to smack him softly around the back of the head. Ian shook his head as he lowered himself in the seat next to them and turned to face whatever shitty program Lip was watching.

 

-x-

 

"Smoke?" Mickey asked his sister, eyebrows raised and face lowered to find her eyes that were still staring at the floor. She closed her eyes and nodded her head gently, turning on her heal and making her way out of the back door. Once outside Mandy lowered herself onto the top step leading up to the Gallagher house and drew her knees to her chest, resting her head on them as she slowly turned to face where Mickey had now sat beside her.

"How much do you know?" She asked softly as Mickey took out two cigarettes from his pocket, putting both to his lips, lighting them then passing one to her.

Mickey exhaled smoke, furrowing his brow as he reached to put the lighter back into his pocket. "Not fucking enough and too fucking much..." He said with a small laugh, he turned to face his sister, raising his eyebrows as he tried to soften his, naturally stern features.

Mandy huffed out a laugh at the reminder of a previous conversation where the tables had been turned. She didn't know what to say though, didn't know what she could say because all she wanted to do was ask him what had happened, what would happen next, but she was scared of both answers and she knew her brother wanted to talk about this first, so she just took a long drag of her cigarette and looked back to the floor.

"He doesn't fucking remember..." Mickey said, half to fill the silence and half to urge his sister to talk to him, not knowing how to start this conversation but refusing to let any more go unsaid.

"Figures," she choked back, laughing a dry laugh and bunching up into herself. "He was always too fucking drunk to stand, yet alone remember any fucking thing the next day..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked honestly, trying to keep calm with the rage still in his veins every time he thought about why they were having this conversation.

"Why didn't you tell me you were gay and fucking my best friend?" She retorted without missing a breath.

"Not the same thing." Mickey said sternly, nudging his sister in an attempt to draw her gaze to him.

Mandy exhaled as she looked into her brothers eyes. "I know," she replied sincerely. Because it wasn't the same, Mickey kept a secret that he thought would cost him his life if anyone found out. Why did Mandy keep her secret? Was she ashamed? Did she not know if anyone would believe her, if anyone would care? Maybe she was loyal to her father in some depraved way. Mandy had thought of a whole bunch of reasons she could use, fear, manipulation, regret, pity. But all of these things seemed so stupid now, so untrue, utterly ridiculous as she looked into her brothers deep eyes and saw nothing but warmth and loyalty, trust and caring, all of it directed straight at her. She smiled a small, apologetic smile and said, "I dunno, I guess I didn't know what would happen if you guys knew, I didn't want anything to change... I didn't want our family to change because it's the only fucking thing we got, fucked up as it is, it's ours... ya know... mine... I didn't have anything else..." She was all but sobbing now, clinging onto herself like if she let go the world would drain away around her. "But then everything changed anyway... And they weren't gonna fucking stop..." She closed her eyes, tears fell and her head dropped back to her knees as she remembered her brothers attacking Mickey, hating him so resolutely.

"We're all alright..." He interrupted fiercely, yet desperate at the same time. He wanted to tell her it was OK, it would all be fine, from now on nothing would hurt her, but he didn't know any of that, he couldn't make promises he didn't know if he could keep. So he told her what he did know, what he knew she needed to know. "He fought back, hit us all a bout a-fucking-bit. Just bruises though, nothing that won't heal..." He turned her face to look into her eyes. "We did what we had to do and now dad's fucking gone... We're all alright and we're all still here... You don't lose any of that... None of that fucking changes." 

Mandy stared into her brothers eyes and knew he was telling the truth. She was relieved that he didn't hate her, that none of them hated her, or blamed her, none of them would give up on her now she needed them all so fucking much. "And you? You still got our dipshit brothers? Any of that changed for you?" She asked because it wasn't just about her anymore.

Mickey dropped his gaze and laughed a joyless laugh. He ran his hands through his hair and bit his lip as he turned back to Mandy. "I've had fucking years to deal with this shit - with what the hell I am... Can't expect them to deal with it any fucking quicker." He tried to sound convinced, sincere, OK. He tried to hide his disappointment, keep the pain out of his voice. Mickey smiled at Mandy and tried to reassure her of this latest lie - that everything was fine and as it should be.

He wasn't sure if she believed him or if she just knew that he wanted her to because if Mandy didn't believe her brother then she didn't let it show. She smiled a small smile of her own then leaned into her brothers shoulder and exhaled a drawn out breath. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax as she listened to Mickey explain exactly what had happened with their piece of shit father.

 

-x-

 

"So can we expect any visits from other pissed off, grudge holding, Milkovich's?" Lip asked over the television, not looking at Ian, in fact not changing his position at all.

"Really wanna have this fucking conversation again Lip?" Ian replied without so much as a glance at his brother.

"No!" Carl shouted from his place between them. He turned to Lip. "Please... No more..." He exclaimed dramatically, running his hands down his cheeks as he stood and marched up the stairs, huffing with every step.

Ian followed his younger brother with his eyes, a small smile playing at his lips, proud that his brother had addressed Lip and not him, effectively telling the oldest Gallagher boy to shut the hell up already. He looked over to Lip, who was now returning his gaze, and tilted his head, Ian raised his eyebrows, daring the older boy to continue with that line of questioning.

Lip swung his feet off of the sofa and rested his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward and looked into Ian's eyes. "Promise me you know what the fuck you're doing!" He all but shouted.

Ian didn't miss a single beat before replying with absolute confidence, "I do," he said calmly, assuredly. "Never been more sure of anything."

The two stared into each others eyes for a few moments before Lip visibly relaxed. "O-fucking-K," he returned, he lifted his legs back onto the couch and returned his eyes to watch the television.

"OK?" Ian asked, daring to hope that Lip would drop the attitude towards him now.

"OK." Lip said again, an acceptance behind his voice that had Ian smiling from ear to ear.

-x-

The two had relaxed into an easy silence when Mickey and Mandy re-entered the house. Ian immediately rose from his seat and met the two in the kitchen with an inquisitive expression plastered on his face.

"Everything's fine." Mickey said, knowing he didn't need to expand, not when Gallagher could read him like an open book anyway. Ian nodded once and walked over to rest a reassuring hand on Mandy's shoulder.

Before he had a chance to raise his arm though Mandy turned and punched him square in the chest. "Next time I'm driving myself fucking crazy with worry, waiting in your goddamn house, surrounded by your fucking judgmental family..." She sneered, "You come straight fucking back and put me out of my damn misery..." She exclaimed, raising her hand again. "You do not fucking stop for a quickie in a stinking fucking alleyway!" She shouted.

Ian raised his hands placatingly, backing away and looking to Mickey for help, unfortunately all he got from the man he loved was a smirk and shake of his head. "Alright, alright." He laughed out as an impatient Mandy moved to hit him again.

"Fucking good... So what happens now? I take it Mick's told you every-fucking-thing already?"

Ian just nodded as he leaned back against the counter dividing the kitchen. Mickey had explained everything on the walk from the alley back to the house, he had tried to hammer home the threat Terry had addressed to him before he left, but Ian wasn't worried. Like Mickey, he knew that Terry wouldn't be reckless enough to risk prison, not whilst he still believed in all of Mickey's threats, and Terry knew his son better than to doubt him, knew how far he'd go to protect his own. Ian smiled to himself when he realised, once again, that he was Mickey's own.

"You're not staying at home, got someplace to go?" Mickey responded immediately, forcefully. Now leaning against the back door with his arms crossed, Mickey was talking to Mandy but seemed unable to look away from Ian, his face carrying emotions Mandy knew all too well from the Milkovich family.

Realising what was about to go down between the dysfunctional pair stood either side of her, Mandy quickly replied with a "Yep," and a smile. She looked between the two boys who had now stopped trying to look away and were simply staring straight at each other, without so much as a blink between them. "Ummm I'm gonna just... yeah... we'll talk later..." She said as she pointed to the living room and quickly let her feet follow the direction of her finger.

Fiona walked in through the front door just as Mandy walked in from the kitchen, "Yeah, I wouldn't go in there for a while." The younger Milkovich said to the oldest Gallagher when she made to brush passed her.

Fiona snorted and continued to walk towards where the two boys were being eerily quiet, probably still staring, waiting for the other to make a move.

"I would listen to her Fi, the way Ian was studying the door the whole time Mickey and Mandy were out there, he was obviously waiting for some kind of conversation. Knowing Mickey, and knowing what he just found out today... It ain't a conversation I wanna be part of I'll tell ya that." Lip said lightly, with no malice or judgement in his voice.

Fiona turned to look at her brother with furrowed brows, she was about to respond when they heard the first words spoken and she realised that Lip and Mandy may have a point.

-x-

"How fucking long?" Mickey asked, not moving anything but his lips.

"Too long to have a good excuse why I didn't tell you..." Ian replied honestly.

"Well you got five fucking seconds to think of one!" The older boy shouted, still not altering his position.

But Ian didn't have an excuse, not one Mickey would accept, not one he'd understand. And Ian knew he was in the wrong here, knew that if anyone had known something like that about his sisters, or his brothers for that matter, and not told him... He would kill them, he would hate them for not letting him protect his family. But that didn't change the fact that Ian had his reasons, they were selfish and they were unfair on the Milkovich boy, but they were his only reasons, unfortunately he stayed lost in his thoughts for a moment too long for Mickey and before he could voice them the older boy was shouting again.

"Nothing?" He bellowed, pushing himself away from the door. He could see Fiona in the living room, could see her trying to discreetly watch him, he knew that this wasn't gonna help with getting her on side, her or Lip, but in that moment he couldn't bring himself to care. "She's my fucking sister Gallagher!"

"We back to that now?" He shouted back. In the wrong or not Ian was just as stubborn as Mickey, dealing with the Milkovich boy for the last three years had taught him to be just as quick on the defensive and hearing him call him by his surname again and not his first name was a regression that broke his heart.

"You really wanna turn this a-fucking-round? Make this shit about me... my fucking issues? Really?" Mickey yelled incredulously, thrusting an arm up and waving it toward the red-head in front of him.

"No..." Ian sighed out, pushing himself away from the counter and running his hands down his face. "Look... I know I should have said something..."

"Yeah, ya fucking think?" Mickey was leaning forward on the table now, eyes fierce and tone demanding.

"I just... She seemed fucking fine, alright? She seemed OK... hell she made it seem like it wasn't a big deal..."

"Not a big deal?" The dark haired boy yelled loud enough to make the three people in the next room jump in unison. "Are you fucking shitting me?"

"No... no... I didn't fucking mean... Look she had me, she had fucking Lip... She didn't stay at your dads anymore... I thought it was fucking handled!" He protested back, mind scrambling for an explanation that his mouth seemed unable to deliver.

"Nothing was fucking handled Gallagher, you shoulda fucking told ME!" He accentuated the 'me' by thrusting away from the table and taking a step forward. Fire still burning in his eyes.

"What so you could fucking handle it?" Ian retorted snidely, without missing a beat. "So you could go after Terry, fucking kill him or get killed in the process? Jail or fucking death, that you handling it?"

"That what happened today?" Mickey didn't miss a beat either.

"Mick... I didn't..."

"No!" The Milkovich interrupted, "That what this was fucking about? Keeping me where you wanted me... Fuck Mandy as long as you had your god damn fuck buddy to play with?"

"Fuck you..." Now Ian was genuinely angry. Screw blame, that was unfair. "Cause I had you exactly where I fucking wanted you, hiding in the back of a god damn store room... pretending I didn't exist outside of fucking on a god damn roof!"

"Yeah I'm the asshole, I know... Stupid fucking me for not wanting my homophobic god damn family to find out... Turned out so fucking well when they did!" He waved his hands in the air as he spoke but the sarcasm in his voice barely masked the hurt behind the words.

"Mickey..."

"She's my fucking sister Ian!" Mickey didn't let Ian finish the sentence because he couldn't hear anymore of their past. He knew Ian could use how Mickey had acted as a weapon and he didn't want to hear it because he knew how true it was. He knew he was an asshole back then, knew Ian should have given up a long time ago, knew Ian deserved so much better, so much more. But Ian didn't give up and Mickey was really trying to give him what he couldn't then, be the more of what Ian deserved. But this wasn't about them, this was about Mandy. "Fucked for life, right? I ain't your fucking brother Ian, I'm no damn genius. I don't wanna join the fucking army and fight for my god damn country... I'm her fucking brother, that's what I am... What I've always fucking been. The only thing I've ever been any fucking good at my entire god damn life and it was my fucking job to make sure shit like that didn't ever happen to her. Except, turns out I couldn't even do that..." He ran his hands through his hair and drew his bottom lip into his mouth. "You fucking knew, for how long? And you didn't say a god damn thing, didn't let me make it right. You knew how much I would've wanted to know that shit, knew how fucking important it would be and you still said bloody nothing because why... Because you didn't want me to do something stupid...? So what your fucking telling me is, she had to deal with that shit alone because I couldn't be damn well trusted to help her without fucking screwing things up more?"

Mickey had to move from sight of the living room, had to get out of Fiona's eye line He didn't want her to see how this made him feel, that this made him feel. Ian had seen so much of his feelings now that Mickey didn't even think about hiding them from him. Didn't ever want to. Feelings, he had always been taught and so truly believed, made him weak but now, with Ian, he honestly thought feelings actually made him strong. Ian seeing the whole him and still wanting to stick around... how could that make him weak when it filled him with such courage, such fulfillment. Ian got to see this side of him because he got to see this side of Ian, and when he saw emotion on the red haired boys face he didn't see weakness, he saw his life in those eyes. Those fucking eyes that Mickey couldn't help but stare into, never wanted to not be able to stare into. Ian would always get to see his emotions now because Mickey always wanted to be able to see Ian's, but Fiona... Lip... even Mandy to an extent... they couldn't see him like this. So he took a step to the side and turned to face the wall. For the first time breaking eye contact with Ian, he held the back of his neck with his hands and turned his face to the ceiling and just breathed, tears threatening to sting at his eyes.

"You think I don't know how selfish it was?" Ian spoke softly now, eyes filling with moisture as he leaned forward on the spot, poking himself in the stomach as he leaned toward Mickey. "You think I don't know how fucking selfish I was?"

Mickey just exhaled again and turned to face his Gallagher, hands still gripping onto the back of his own neck.

"I fucking know. And I feel like shit... Mickey I know I let you down, let Mandy down... All because I didn't wanna lose you again. You were still in juvie when I found out and honestly, I didn't know if you'd even see me if I tried. Then you came out and I had you again..." He closed his eyes and scrubbed them with his fingers. "I know how selfish it is Mick, I know how pathetic I sound right now... Believe me... I know," he scoffed the last bit. Ian didn't want to admit just how easy it had been to not tell Mickey, he had managed to forget their was anything to tell him after a while, because he got so lost in having his Milkovich back that the rest of the world got shut out. He hadn't done it to hurt the older boy, hell Mickey was right he should have said something because he knew how important Mickey took his family. But at the time that didn't even cross his mind because he was so wrapped up in falling for the boy that he forgot all outside distractions. And the guilt he felt for thinking of Mandy as a distraction twisted his stomach, but it didn't compare to the feeling of Mickey. The feeling of Mickey by his side, the fear of him being snapped away again. The loss he was so scared of, the ache he got every time Mickey was away from him, that longing to just have him back. So yeah, Ian knew how stupid he had let himself be, but he also knew deep down that he didn't regret it. How could he when Mickey was stood in front of him now, albeit angry, he was stood in front of him and everything was right. He knew now and he hadn't done anything reckless or stupid, and he was back by Ian's side. And while the younger boy was still feeling the guilt heavy on his shoulders, he was also washed down by relief, by the beautiful site of Mickey stood in front of him. His Mickey, his, angry, hot tempered, bad mouthed, worse mannered, heavy handed, god damn gorgeous, forever loyal and fiercely devoted, Milkovich.

"The problem wasn't that you'd failed Mandy, Mick... The problem was that I knew you wouldn't fail her... And I didn't know how to let you go, not again. So I kept my mouth shut. Convinced myself that it was for the best... Cause not only did I get to keep you but so did she and she was safer with you around... It was no fucking coincidence you were in juvie when this happened Mick." Ian knew how patronizing that must have sounded but he stared into Mickey's eyes, those deep blue orbs that were now solely focused on him. He tried with everything he was to show Mickey just how sincere he was being, that he wasn't just saying what he thought Mickey needed to hear but that he knew every god damn word to be true. "I should have trusted you then to not do anything stupid... but honestly, I was too fucking scared to..."

"You didn't trust me?" Mickey's voice was calm now, quiet, for Ian's ears only. His hands arms were now hanging loosely by his waist and his body was turned to Ian.

The younger boy didn't say a word, just bit his bottom lip and hesitantly shook his head, so gently that Mickey almost missed it.

The older boy closed his eyes as he breathed a deep breathe, he opened them as he exhaled and asked, "You trusted me today?"

"Yes." Ian replied quickly, honestly, assuredly.

The two just stared at each other, gauging the others reactions, before Ian spoke again. "I trust you with my life Mick."

And there was no lie in what Ian had said, Mickey knew that from the younger boys face, from his eyes, from his tone. He knew that from the last couple of months, what they'd been through, what had been said and done. And then it hit him like a tonne of bricks, he realised he wasn't angry. He'd been angry pretty much all day but for the last few minutes, without him even realising it, all the anger had gone and this had stopped being about anything else and it had become about him and Ian again. Like every fucking thing always did. Mickey rolled his eyes at that thought but he knew it was a good thing, knew that as long as it was about the two of them then it would be OK, they would both make sure it was OK. He smiled a small small as he shook his head from side to side. "And I trust you with my sisters." He all but whispered.

That was all it took, that was all he had to say to make Ian charge forward and throw himself at the older boy. Their lips crashed together as Ian's arms wrapped themselves around Mickey, one settling on his hip, the other hand in his hair. Mickey's hands clutched at Gallagher's neck and head with a force that should have been painful but Ian made no attempt to wriggle free of the hold. Both boys seemed to be trying to envelop the other, smiling into each others mouths as the kiss turned almost playful and light. Mickey shoved at Ian's shoulder when the younger boy tried to tickle his waist and the two laughed into the kiss as both boys readjusted their holds. Like always with these two the kiss almost immediately turned passionate and intense again, each boy clawing at the other, craving the feel of flesh.

The pair stayed wrapped up in each other for as long as they could before remembering where they were, but, as always, when they reluctantly pulled away it didn't seem like the contact had lasted nearly long enough. Ian sighed and Mickey grunted as the two leaned their foreheads together. The older boy was just about to make a sarcastic, and probably highly inappropriate, comment when they heard a frustrated voice from the living room. "Can I get in there and get the dinner on already? Debbie and Liam are gonna be back soon." Fiona didn't wait for permission before she walked into the kitchen and dropped the shopping bags onto the counter top, Lip was right behind her with another bag. As she entered the room Fiona announced that they had things they needed to discuss, motioning to Mickey when she caught Ian's questioning look. Mandy, who was stood in the doorway with a smirk, happily told Fiona to join the fucking queue and soon Carl was charging back down the stairs asking if Mickey was ready to continue their talk yet. Mickey smiled an exhausted smile and shook his head, still resting against Ian's as the two refused to break eye contact, "Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered.

Ian snorted and pushed Mickey around the table slowly, grabbing his arm as he opened the back door and dragged Mickey outside, shouting back to the inhabitants of the Gallagher house that they would have to wait because right now Mickey was all his and he needed a fucking smoke. When he had shut the door behind them though, he didn't move to take out his cigarettes instead he turned to Mickey and asked softly, "Roof?" The red-head knew that Mickey needed space from everything that was going on in the house, from the judgement and the family that wasn't his. And as much as Ian liked having Mickey living in his house, with the people he loves, he also liked it when it was just the two of them and privacy wasn't something you got in the Gallagher abode. He missed having Mickey to himself so yeah, fuck it, all the talks that the two should be having with various different members of both families, they could fucking wait.

"Roof." Mickey confirmed, raising his eyebrows and thrusting his tongue into the corner of his mouth, a smirk already playing on his lips. immediately the two set off down the street, racing and battling, as if they had not a care in the fucking world. Because all that guilt Ian had felt had been washed away the instant he saw Mickey relax, smirk, smile, the instant he saw him forgive. An then he'd said it, words more important to Mickey than any other he'd ever utter. Because as silly as it sounds, you can't choose who you love but you can choose who you let in, who you trust. Ian knew Mickey trusted him, he wouldn't let him in otherwise, but to say those words... After everything that happened today... to hear Mickey say that he still trusted him with one of the most important things in his life, something much more important than his own life... Ian loved Mickey and Mickey loved Ian and in that moment both knew that the trust hadn't been broken, they knew that they had found their new normal and that it was perfect, because it was all encompassing, it was beautiful, it was effortless, unconditional and it was forever.


	8. Casual Conversation and a Dinner Arrangement

Catching their breath, Ian and Mickey lay on the dirty floor of the abandoned building that had become one of many secret spots for them. Uncaring for the dust and dirt accumulating on their clothes and in their hair, both boys lay staring up at what remained of the ceiling. They were lying with their heads next to each others but their bodies facing outwards, in opposite directions. Ian was so close to the older boy that the top of his head was almost touching the Milkovich's shoulder, something that at one time would have bothered him, now he didn't flinch a way, just stayed in his position and wallowed in the after glow.

"Well there's no blanket and no stars... But I'm still counting this as a win for me." Ian laughed between breaths, not turning his head to face the boy next to him, only briefly flicking his eyes towards Mickey before returning them to focus on the crumbling shapes above. Ian had one hand resting on his stomach, the other laying on the ground beside him. His mouth was contorted into a glorious, satisfied smile and his eyes were beaming with a brightness that seemed impossible for the South Side of Chicago.

Mickey snorted out a breathless laugh as he rolled his eyes and fought the urge to look at the red-head beside him, he didn't need to look to know the expression Gallagher was wearing. "You start picking out dogs in jumpers and I'll fucking take you down Gallagher," he retorted.

Mickey had both hands resting on his stomach, fingers intertwined. The seemingly blank expression of his mouth was betrayed by his glowing eyes. He was more relaxed than he had been for as long as he could remember and for the first time it hit him - he wasn't hiding from anyone anymore, everyone who mattered knew who he was, sure they had reacted exactly how he had dreaded they would but they knew now. He had no one left to run from but himself and he was done with doing that, done because of the self satisfied shit head next to him. He let out another snort of laughter, "Fucking hell," he whispered out, unconcerned whether he was heard or not.

"What?" Ian responded immediately, smile still splitting his face.

Mickey breathed out a disbelieving laugh, "What the hell have you done to me Gallagher?"

Ian wasn't sure if Mickey had meant to say that out loud or not but he noticed that the older boy didn't tense when the words came out, his breathing didn't hitch and his expression didn't falter. So the younger boy rolled onto his knees, smile still clinging to his cheeks as he leaned down on his out stretched arms, face hovering above Mickey's. "Still wanna cut my tongue out if I kiss you?" He asked in his best seductive voice.

Mickey's eyes locked with Ian's, their irises dancing together for what seemed like forever, before a smirk made its way onto the dark haired boys lips. Torturously slowly he leaned up so his lips were almost flush against the red-heads, and as Ian's eyelids slid closed Mickey's smirk became a smile. He breathed against the younger boy for a while, holding his face in his hands, lips teasingly, agonizingly close. Ian's smile was gone now, replaced by a simple look of longing, longing for the contact to be made once and for all, for the kiss to be sealed. So Mickey lost his own smile as his wide eyes fell to Ian's lips and he finally pulled slightly on the back of the younger boys neck, bringing his head down closer to his own. Ian let out an involuntary moan as he felt Mickey's thumbs brush against his cheeks, the touch of the other boy still burned his skin, radiated his body with yearning, he craved that touch even now, even when he had the possibility of it almost 24/7. Ian's eyebrows furrowed with desire as the boys lips finally touched, a barely their chaste kiss that Ian was desperate to deepen. Just as the younger boy was about to open his mouth to extend the contact, Mickey tightened his grip on Ian's face, turning his head is one swift movement and licking down the red-heads cheekbone, stopping only to bite him square on the chin, his smirk re-emerging the second he pulled away to rest his head back on the floor. Mickey may be whipped but he was still a Milkovich, a vicious little shit with a mean streak a mile wide.

Ian's eyes shot open as he rolled back into his position on the floor, frantically wiping the moisture off his cheek, "Jesus Mickey," he bellowed, feigning annoyance as he fought back the smile that was tugging at his lips. Overjoyed at the playfulness they had re-found, both boys having more energy now than either had had for a long time so Ian didn't waste any time before he reached up and punched Mickey in the shoulder, hitting him a second time when the older boy just scoffed and told him he hits "Like a damn girl."

The pair stayed in that building until darkness had long taken over the South Side, they stayed there fighting and fucking, making love and playing, they talked and laughed and debated the important things. Things like who would win in a fight - John McClane or Rambo - "Man, Fuck Rambo." They shared a cigarette that neither bothered to finish when a fight broke out between them over which was more bad-ass - Predator or Alien - "Man, Fuck Alien." The fighting led to fucking and the cigarette was left, discarded and forgotten on the dusty floor.

Cell phones were ignored and the outside world was pushed aside as both boys forgot about what awaited them in it. Forgot about the shit storm that had been their lives for the last few months since that, very public, conversation in the living room of the Gallagher house. The conversation that started it all, outed Mickey and pushed the boys closer together, instead of breaking them apart.

"Alright, I'll give you John McClane... Hell, I'll even give you Predator, even though Aliens are bad-ass .. But seriously Mick? Michael Myers? Over Freddy Krueger? Myers over Jason Voorhees - yes... But Freddie kills you in your fucking sleep." Ian shoved at Mickey's shoulder to accentuation his point. The boys were slowly making their way back to the Gallagher house, slowly being the operative word as every few steps one boy would either stop to feign shock at what the other has just said, stop to emphasize a point, or stop to push the other boy into a wall... dustbin... oncoming vehicle...

"So stay the fuck awake, find something better to do... OR just stop being scared of the fucker and then he's powerless. Myer's is the ultimate killing machine, little shit was killing his family when he was younger than Carl... And sorry Gallagher but you can't tell me that mask didn't freak you the fuck out when you first watched it?"

"Krueger has a knives for hands..."

"Myer's is fucking huge and he walks faster than you can run..."

"Freddy doesn't have to walk, he just appears out of the blue..."

"Yeah so long as you're asleep... And so long as before you fell a-fucking-sleep you were scared of dreaming about him. Face it, the guys kill factor is limited."

"So's Myer's, he only kills family." Ian stops again to fight his point, determined not to give in this time he holds his hands in the air and raises his eyebrows as if to dare Mickey to argue.

"Yeah and any, and every fucker who gets in the way, or just happens to be around at the time... Guys ruthless." Mickey turns to face his maddening red-head. Neither can get over just how important these conversations seem at present. Natural stubbornness overruling the logic telling them just how pointless the argument is.

"Argh, whatever." Ian relents with an exasperated sigh, Mickey's smile tells him the older boy knows he's won again. Ian has always known there is absolutely no point trying to outlast a Milkovich in an argument, regardless of the severity of the subject. But that doesn't stop him getting suckered in every time, determination filling him for a few moments, a small amount of time where he honestly believes he can win. Then boom, one look at Mickey's thick set brows, dead calm eyes, and generally unrelenting posture, and Ian knows, the moment of hope passes and he knows he's going to lose.

The defeated younger boy shrugs off Mickey's placating, and somewhat patronising shoulder bump. He starts walking again, brushing past the older boy, whose smug smirk is blinding, the smirk that Ian hates to love so much because it means he can't even be pissed off at losing yet another debate. Mickey snorts out a laugh and follows the Gallagher's movements, the two boys continuing their journey home knowing the comfortable silence probably won't last long...

"OK... Dawn of the Dead... or Land of the Dead?" Ian stops again, ever the glutton for punishment.

Mickey's smile encapsulates his face, something Ian will never admit he loves about the smaller boy, through fear that he'll stop smiling just to piss him off. He turns to face the questioning Gallagher, who returns his smile with an enthusiastic grin of his own, eyes arched quizzically with an underlying message of 'you better get this answer bloody right Milkovich'.

"That's fucking easy, Land of the Dead... Fucking Dead Reckoning?" Mickey protests with his hands in the air, spinning on the spot as if to ask the imaginary crowd of people surrounding them for confirmation.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ian asks incredulously, how can two people so in love have such different opinions on... well... everything. Everything trivial anyway. "Dawn of the Dead, Mick... Zombie babies..." His face screams 'need I say more' as Mickey turns to keep walking, both boys already know the outcome of this conversation.

 

-x-

 

"I don't wanna go home yet..." Ian said to break the silence they had fallen into.

"You're house is like ten steps away Gallagher, you couldn't have said this before?" Mickey stops his movements and holds a hand out in front of Ian to halt the red-head as well.

"When we go back there... things turn to shit, every thing gets loud and everyone has a fucking opinion... I'm just not ready to deal with that again, not yet." The younger boy exhales a deep breath and turns to look at Mickey, shrugging his shoulders when the older boy arches his brows.

"They'll all be a-fucking-sleep by now?" Mickey retorts calmly, lowering his head slightly as he moves forward to look into Ian's eyes, trying to read the emotions there.

"Or they'll all be there waiting to pounce the second we walk in the door?" His voice was tired, defeated almost. "Come on Mick, you can't tell me you've been enjoying your time at the Gallagher house...?" When Mickey doesn't respond, just shifts his feet and looks at floor, Ian continues. "They're not gonna let up ya know, we're Gallagher's... stubborn as mules and stupidly protective of each other..." He smiles a weary smile, "I really thought they'd let up on you though... But every time I think we've turned a fucking corner... Bam... Something else happens and we're back to square one."

"What? So you think I'm gonna bail?" Mickey's voice is calm and controlled, if he's panicked then he isn't showing it. "Think I care what your family thinks of me Gallagher? Hate to break it to ya but my own family fucking hates me and that's a little higher on my 'could give a crap' list."

Ian feels a pang of guilt and sadness hit him at the mention of Mickey's family, of all the other boy has lost, of the part he played in that loss. But when he looks back at Mickey's face there is no hurt there, at the moment his attention isn't on his brothers or his father, he isn't thinking about his family and how they fucked him over. Mickey's eyes are fixed on his and there is a confidence in them that Ian remembers from the day they first hooked up, when Mickey looked down at him and dropped the crow bar, instinct taking over the Milkovich boy as he pulled off his top, somehow just knowing Ian would follow suit.

"You really don't give a shit that they don't cut you any slack... They judge you and don't even try to cover it up?"

"Every one judges every one Firecrotch, get used to it," Mickey proclaimed, unconcerned and self assured. "Besides man, the little ones ain't so bad. Babies a menace, Carl's a little psycho and Debbie's too fucking cheerful for her own good but... ya know... I don't mind em... they're alright." He said with a small smile posing as nonchalant, unable to hide the growing affection in his voice.

"Aww Mick, you getting soft? Don't tell me there are actual human beings out their you don't automatically wanna kill?" Ian responded with a prideful laugh. In his mind he could already picture Mickey coming home to see Debbie crying and simply asking her who he has to kill, or him taking Carl on as a somewhat apprentice of 'how to be a successful neighbourhood terror'. He's already seen Mickey's guard drop slightly with Liam but that doesn't stop him imagining the youngest Gallagher never having to worry about bullies or South Side thugs because Mickey has his back from here on out. Ian smiles a glorious smile as he thinks how lucky his siblings would be to have the protection of one of the only people in the South Side that every one knows not to mess with, then he smiles somehow brighter when he sees the look on Mickey's face as he talks about said siblings and he realises that they already are that lucky.

As if knowing exactly what the younger boy is thinking Mickey coughs to bring him out of his thoughts. He doesn't need anyone to dwell on the idea of him going soft, he's always protected family, that's no secret, but he doesn't need to acknowledge out loud that he seems to have gained several members to his family in recent months.

"And Lip and Fiona...?" He continues, determined to wipe the shit eating grin off of the red-head boy he loves, "Well they're just looking out for you, can't really blame 'em for that... Don't have to fucking like 'em though," he adds in quickly, before Ian can accuse him of being a bitch.

Ian knows he shouldn't make a big deal out of what Mickey's just said, not if he wants the guy to keep opening up, for someone who perpetually hides and denies his feelings Ian knows not to push him when he takes baby steps, especially considering the leaps and bounds he's taken in recent months. So instead of laughing or jabbing at Mickey playfully, he just shrugs and turns to face the ex-con with his whole body. He doesn't try to hide the way he checks the older boy out, eyeing him up and down before replacing his smile with a smirk.

Mickey smirks back when he realises the look on the younger boy turned from playful to lust filled in a matter of seconds. And when Ian suggests a venture to the dugouts at the Baseball Diamond Mickey just casually shrugs his shoulders and gives the red-head his best 'eh, whatever' look before turning and leading the way, not bothering to try and hold back his grin.

 

-x-

 

Midnight had long since passed by the time Ian and Mickey strolled back into the Gallagher house with blissfully contented smiles. It may have been the time they shared each others company, it may have been the beer they drank or the joint they smoked, hell it may just have been that they were too tired from yet another dramatic day, but the unease didn't fade when they realised they weren't alone. Lip nudged Fiona awake when the two stopped at the door, looking down at the sofa where Ian's siblings were sat.

"Hmm?" Fiona muttered as she jostled awake, she lifted her head from its resting spot on Lip's shoulder and scanned the room. When she spotted Ian and Mickey, Fiona jolted upright and swiveled herself on the sofa. Now facing the, still smiling Ian and unfazed Milkovich, Fiona's eyes darted between the pair.

"We're having dinner tomorrow night... Kev and Vee are coming, Mandy, Jimmy's dad and Little Hank... I trust you two will be ready to eat for 6?" Without waiting for an answer Fiona rose from the sofa and climbed the stairs without a sideways glance.

"Ummm..." Lip mumbled, arching his body on the sofa to look at the two boys who were still looking at the spot where Fiona had disappeared up the stairs. Ian and Mickey turned to face Lip, both faces etched with a 'what the fuck' expression. "She's just tired, been waiting up a while," he continued, nodding his head as he spoke, mouth closing in on itself as he perched his lips together, humming to himself when neither boys expressions lightened. "So anyway... Carl and Deb gave us shit for giving Mickey shit, the two of them have really got your back Milkovich." Ian grinned at that, briefly looking to Mickey with pride, he loved his little brother and sister. "Yeah, and... Liam seems to have latched onto you too so it seems like me and Fi might need to loosen up... Ya know, get with the program..." Lip stood and turned on the spot, ignoring Ian's wide eyes and glaring smile, the older Gallagher looked straight at Mickey. "So Fiona's cooking a meal, a kinda 'get to know each other' deal I guess? Anyway, she thought it'd be good to have Mandy their so you're not completely overwhelmed... Then Vee was there when she was making plans and decided she wanted in so invited herself and Kev, probably thinks it's gonna be a disaster and doesn't wanna miss the show."

"Yeah she's probably right." Ian says when he sees Mickey's skeptical expression out of the corner of his eye.

"Tell me about it... So then Jimmy storms in saying his dad wants to speak to him, last time that happened he told him about the divorce so when Vee let slip about the meal Jimmy said that was the perfect time to have him round, distract him from whatever news he's got with Gallagher drama... Or some shit like that... Of course, then Carl got pissy cause everyone got to invite someone but him so... enter Little Hank." Lip raised his arms and shrugged, not fazed by the stupidity of the idea, sitting Mickey Milkovich down in a confined space with all those people, all the potential staring and judging. And Ned, someone Mickey probably never wanted to see again.

Mickey scoffed and sneered at Lip, shooting the messenger seemed like a real good idea in that moment. "You so much as fucking look at my sister any way but friendly and I'll snap you like a fucking twig, got that 'genius'?" Mickey asked with both venom and concern in his voice, he hadn't forgotten the tears that Mandy had shed over the oldest Gallagher boy, the only reason nothing had been done so far was the red-head currently stood between them, but Mickey hadn't forgotten and he hadn't forgiven.

"Sir, yes sir!" He hollered, mock saluting as he walked past the young lovers and bounded up the stairs.

Mickey and Ian turned to look at each other, Ian sporting a disbelieving smile, Mickey frowning half-heartedly, the tiredness showing through. Without a word Mickey turned and the two slowly climbed the stairs to finally get some sleep, Ian making sure to turn the downstairs light off as he ascended.


	9. Dinner Preparations and Toy Story

Little Hank and Carl were waiting impatiently, sat on the couch and looking at the door every couple of minutes. Ian had told them several times that Mickey would be gone for a while but neither seemed to acknowledge the statement. Carl was anxious to show off his new "bad-ass best friend" and Hank was excited to meet the neighbourhood thug, both boys keen to learn all of the Milkovich's tricks.

Debbie was sat on the chair next to the couch, staring at Hank with an unreadable expression etched across her features and Ian couldn't decide if she was still interested in the mini delinquent or if she was questioning why she was ever interested in the first place. Fiona was running around the kitchen trying to organise a meal for 12 people and a baby, with Vee sat at the counter in the middle of the room, doing her best impression of someone helping without actually doing anything of use. The two women were talking about their day, between bouts of bitching about the snooty women living a few doors down, who Fi just knows is judging her. "Screw her, have you seen the bitch? Probably hasn't gotten laid in so long she's just debating changing teams... Just craving a piece of fine Fiona Gallagher ass..." Vee laughs out while pretending to peel potatoes. Fiona just rolls her eyes and laughs along with her friend.

Lip, Kev, Jimmy and Ian are sat on the front step drinking the beer that Ian had just fetched for them, smoking a joint and debating who's gonna fuck up first, Ian just rolling his eyes when the general consensus points to Mickey. All four were just agreeing that maybe the meal was not one of Fiona's better ideas for bringing about family harmony when Ned rolls up in a car that, really, he can no longer afford, what with him going broke after the divorce. Still, he likes to play at being rich and Jimmy doesn't have the heart to tell him to stop, no one else is supposed to know and none of them really give a shit any way. After everyone says a polite hello, and a handshake with Ned that lasts a little too long for Ian's liking, and Jimmy's for that matter, the five men make their way inside. Kev and Lip kick Carl and Hank off of the sofa, filling their spaces along with Jimmy and Ned, who looks uncomfortable as he squeezes in at the end. Debbie offers Ian her seat and sits herself down on the floor in front of him as Carl and Hank, begrudgingly, find a their own spaces on the dingy carpet.

"Where's my fuckhead brother?" Mandy says as she storms into the house without bothering to knock. She picks Liam up out of his crib and sits on the arm of the chair next to Ian, the toddler crawling from her grip and landing on the red-heads lap with a thump and a smile.

"Out," Ian declares, "Business," he clarifies.

Mandy nodded her head, she looked to the crowded sofa and the two boys sat restlessly in front of it. "Gonna be a fun evening..." She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Ian smiled and shook his head, nodding back at the Milkovich girl when she turned to face him, her eyes dancing with the images of what could possibly go wrong.

When an awkward silence descended over the group Lip turned the television on and every one pretended to be interested in whatever they were watching. Every so often Ned would nudge his son as if to indicate that he needed to talk to him, it was in those instances that Jimmy would start up a random conversation with either Lip, Kev or Ian, starting with the words 'Oh, I forgot to tell you...', 'Did you know...', 'You'll never guess what...' or some variation of the three, pretending not to have noticed his father at all.

"What the fuck did you tell Ralph?" Mickey asked as he entered the house, apparently forgoing such pleasantries as hello or missed you, Ian smiled to himself at the thought of the ex-con ever walking into a room calmly enough to say those words.

"When?" He asked back, confusion showing on his face. He hadn't spoken to the kid in months, in fact he'd only spoken to him a few times since Mickey had caught them under the bleachers and given Ralph a proper Milkovich greeting.

"Little fucker just defended your honour." The thug replied, ignoring every one in the room as he walked straight to Ian and swiped his beer, downing the lot in one long swig before the red-head could protest. "Well tried... Kinda backed off again when I asked if he wanted a replay of the last time I saw him," he smirked as he ran a hand across his face to wipe off the excess alcohol. "You're gonna need to get fucking tougher admirers Gallagher, if that's all you got watching your back then you're really screwed, and not in the good way." He said before belching, turning on the spot, then disappearing upstairs to, no doubt, stash whatever money he had just collected.

Ian pushed himself off of the couch and handed Liam back to Mandy and smiled at the knowing look on her face as he made his way to follow Mickey up the stairs, not missing the way that Ned's eyes followed his every move. When he got to their room Ian stopped to take in the sight of Mickey bent over the bedside table, hiding his earnings in the loose panel in the back of the bed no doubt, a hiding place he had probably had a hand in creating and one that Ian was honoured to be allowed to know about. He unashamedly eyed up the older boy for a few moments before speaking, thoroughly enjoying what he saw.

"He apologized for leaving me under the bleachers with you... Throwing me to the wolves, so to speak." Mickey didn't jump at Ian's presence, almost as if he knew the younger boy would follow. Ian leaned against the door frame as he continued, "Asked me what you did to me after he bolted." Ian smirked as Mickey rose from behind the bed and turned to face him.

"Oh yeah? You tell him what you did to me after he left?" Mickey replied with a smirk of his own.

Ian moved forward toward the dark haired Milkovich. "Nope," he said as he put his hands on Mickey's hips, pulling the older boy closer and leaning down to brush his lips against Mickey's, breathing against Mickey's skin as he moved to bite at his ear. "Told him you'd made me an offer I couldn't refuse..."

"Really?" Mickey asked huskily, his voice echoing through Ian like only Mickey's could, demanding a reaction from every inch of his body. Mickey's eyes closed of their own accord as Ian continued to bite his was down the older boys jaw line and onto his neck.

"Yeahh, told him you only stopped beating me when I started beating you... If ya catch my drift." Ian said provocatively, he smiled into Mickey's neck before raising his head to look into the ex-cons eyes, smirking when he saw that he had the same affect on Mickey that the older boy had on him.

"Right..." Mickey laughed a throaty laugh, before raising his eyebrows and placing his hands on Ian's hips, pulling the younger boy impossibly closer still. "So who starts the beatings this time around?"

Ian hummed as Mickey raised his hand to cup the younger boys neck, and when the ex-con sucked a line of marks up the sensitive flesh and bit into the skin under his ear lobe, Ian couldn't help the way his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Hmmmm," he murmured contently, before remembering just what was happening downstairs. "Mick... Mickey we cant..." He desperately tried to ply the other boy off of him whilst all he really wanted to do was maintain the contact and finish what, he guesses in fairness, he started.

Mickey huffed out an annoyed growl when the taller boy finally managed to push him back. "Gallagher, you really wanna go down their and play happy fucking families with a bunch of people who have already made their damn minds up...? OR you wanna get on me, fuck me till you don't give a shit what they think?" His husky voice went straight to Ian's groin but his words fell straight to the red-heads brain.

"I already don't give a shit what they think Mickey," he tried to sound forceful, to sound confident and bold and determined, but his voice was thick with lust and the words left him in more of a moan than a proper sentence.

"So then you won't care that they've already guessed what the fuck we're doin' up here...? So you can stop worrying and get back to it Gallagher." Mickey's voice was raspy with want and Ian wasn't strong enough to push him away again, his own want was clawing at his insides as Mickey rubbed the spot on his lower back that drove the red-head crazy, applying just the right amount of pressure as he drew circles into the skin.

Ian was brought out of his desires by a loud thud from downstairs followed by a squeal from Debbie, she screamed at Carl then audibly stomped into the kitchen. Ian frantically gasped for breath as he once again pushed at Mickey's shoulders, not shoving him away but creating a small distance between their searing bodies. "If you don't go down there soon..." He drawled out as coherently as possible whilst trying desperately to regain his composure, eyes clamped shut and forehead leaning against Mickey's, the two boys frantically breathing into each others mouths. "Carl's gonna be up here dragging you down... Him and Hank have been waiting for you all fucking day... an impatient Carl is an explosive Carl." He murmurs between moans, as Mickey refuses to let up on his fondling.

The older boy grabs the back of Ian's neck and pulls his face back toward his own, their lips are about to make contact when he growls into the younger boys mouth, letting out a disgruntled "Fine!" He palms Ian's crotch through his trousers as he dominates his mouth in a fierce kiss, "But hold that fucking thought!" He says ferociously before jolting backwards and sauntering out the room.

"Fucker!" Ian shouted after the ex-con, trying to calm himself down and fighting the need for a seriously cold shower. The red-head should have been glad that Mickey had walked away because he had well and truly lost his resolve, he had been just seconds away from tearing the other boys clothes off, uncaring of the people waiting downstairs.

 

-x-

 

After taking a couple of minutes to regain his composure, Ian made his way back downstairs. The first thing he noticed when he entered the living room was that Carl and Little Hank were no longer in there, Mickey was no where to be seen and Debbie was back in the seat she'd previously given up for him. The four men remained exactly where he had left them on the sofa and he could hear Fi and Vee still muttering in the kitchen. Ian looked around for signs of the three miscreants he couldn't locate, not knowing whether or not he should be worried.

"Carl nearly set Deb's on fire, Fi told him to take a time out but as soon as Mickey came down the two little shits pounced on him... So he took 'em outside to keep 'em distracted or some shit." Mandy announced as she walked in from the kitchen and sat back on the arm of the chair that Debbie now occupied.

Ian nodded his head then pursed his lips, his eyes darted to the front door as if he would be able to see through it, as if he would be able to see exactly what his favourite ex-con was teaching his delinquent little brother and friend.

"I thought it was a dumb idea too." Lip proclaimed, raising his beer in the air and lowering his head in a half assed protest.

"He's not gonna fucking kill 'em." Mandy snorted.

"I think they're more worried about Mickey teaching them how to kill others." Debs added humourously, trying to be mock helpful.

"I'm not worried..." Ian protested, "Just intrigued."

"Yeah? Well don't go out there unless you want to face the wrath of Carl. He's already angry that you hog Mickey as it is, if you go out their when it's his turn with him... Well he might just attack you." Debbie smiled as she looked over to Ian, she obviously found the whole situation hilarious but their was an honesty in her to her eyes that screamed, 'if you don't believe me then go find out for yourself, but I promise you'll regret it'.

So instead of going outside to inspect what was happening, Ian just slunk onto the floor in front of Debbie and crossed his legs so that Liam, who bolted towards him as soon as he sat down, could sit comfortably in his lap.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, this whole fucking evening is a terrible idea." Lip said after a few minutes silence. No one responded verbally, he wasn't trying to start a conversation anyway, but every one in the room nodded in unison as six heads continued to stare blankly at the television screen.

 

-x-

 

"So, you ever kill anyone?" Carl asked with beaming eyes.

"Kid, who in their right mind would kill someone and then tell anyone about it?" Mickey remarked smugly, knowing it would elicit a further response from the two boys sat in front of him on the grass. Mickey wasn't stupid, he knew how the imaginations of boys like Carl and Hank worked, if the answer wasn't a definite no then their minds would be going into overdrive filling in the blanks. He was sat on the bottom step leading up the Gallagher house, beer in one hand and cigarette in the the other, his arms were resting on his knees and he let out a small laugh when he saw the boys faces light up at his words. He would never admit it but he quite liked the idea of warping the minds of the kids in front of him, figures there isn't really much damage he could do considering just how psychotic they already were.

As he looked at them laughing and prodding each other with 'I told you so' fingers to the ribs, Mickey couldn't help but smile. Their kind of psychotic wasn't the same as his, as the crazy he grew up around. Their's was an innocent kind of psychotic, no malice, just the unabated need to do something, to fidget and destroy, not out of hate but out of something much more childlike. They have so much energy they need to expel and they enjoy destruction, its as simple as that. Mickey was taught to hate and to fight people, to hurt them because he could be damn sure that people wanted to hurt him. Carl and Hank though, they destroyed things, inanimate objects, they didn't go after people, not unless they were protecting the ones they love.

It was then that Mickey made a decision. He decided he was gonna help. He knows he's not gonna have to do much more than answer their questions honestly and let them get on with whatever they're gonna do, what they would have done without his input anyway. But he's gonna make sure they do shit right, he's gonna show them what he knows, what he taught himself. So the next time Carl decides to make himself a flame thrower with a lighter and a deodorant can, he's not gonna do the same thing Mickey did when he almost gave himself third degree burns and blew up the house. The next time they wanna act tough and steal shit, they're not gonna make stupid mistakes and get themselves caught. And the next time they do something stupid and piss off the wrong type of bully they will be able to defend themselves, or better yet they're gonna be able to say the name Mickey Milkovich and whatever prissy fuck is giving them trouble will know to scarper and leave them well alone. Mickey decides that these two young neighbourhood terrors will learn from the best so they won't have to learn from their own mistakes, mistakes that could potentially lead them down roads they should never have to travel down. And when Carl next melts one of Deb's barbies in the microwave, or sits at the kitchen table with a knife in one hand and an action figure in the other, Mickey will help him. Teach him how to burn shit effectively, how to carve shapes into wood or plastic without cutting his damn finger off. And when Fiona looks over at them and frowns that disapproving frown, judges Mickey, and maybe blames him for being a bad influence, Mickey will just smirk and carry on because he knows that Carl won't be a danger to himself or any other Gallagher for as long as he lives. He'll laugh and brush away her look of condemnation, because he knows that the shit he's doing could be much worse, he'll smile because he'll know it never will be.

 

-x-

 

When Ian walked outside he saw Mickey first and foremost. He saw the black haired boy with a cigarette in his mouth, breathing out smoke as he held the paper wrapped stick of tobacco between his perched lips. His mouth was contorted into a smug grin and his eyes were pinched together, but not completely closed. He was standing at the bottom of the steps with Carl in a head lock under his left arm, frantically laughing while pushing at the older boys hips in a futile attempt to free himself. Little Hank was stood to the right of Mickey pleading for mercy. The ex con had the young trouble makers arm wrapped around his back in an awkward position, holding him firmly when the other boy tried to wriggle free, he immediately stopped, of course, when Mickey raised his arm slightly higher. From the smile on the boys faces though, Ian could tell that the Milkovich thug was not hurting either of them.

"Dinner's almost ready, Fiona wants us civilized so you gotta go wash up." Ian announced to the younger two boys in his front garden.

He smiled as Mickey released them and Carl pushed away from the older boy. His little brother looked as if he was going back in for another shot at Mickey, but swiftly changed his mind when the ex-con turned and stepped toward him. Laughing, Carl and Hank pushed frantically at each other as they ran past Ian and into the house, both screaming 'this isn't over Milkovich' as they barreled in through the door. Ian looked to Mickey and raised an eyebrow, smirking smugly at the friendship blossoming between his sibling and his lover.

"What?" Mickey shouted toward him, no malice in his, now, light and easy voice.

"So you took on the terrible twosome and survived huh?" Ian responded, resting his hand on his hips as he watched Mickey stalk toward the steps.

"Please... I'm bad-ass, haven't you heard? Can take on anything and come out on top!"

Ian scoffed and laughed down at the approaching, smug looking, Milkovich. "Yeah... Don't pay much attention to Carl's hero worship, kid'll find someone new to admire next week." He said casually, smiling when he saw that Mickey was unfazed. Like Ian, Mickey probably knew that was bullshit. Carl is fiercely loyal, he loved for life, when he found someone he admired, that awe would last forever. The little shit was a lot like Mickey in that respect. In fact, he was a lot like Mickey in a lot ways and Ian could never see that as a bad thing. As far as the red head was concerned, there could never be too much Mickey, or Carl, in the world.

"That little fucker is funny." Mickey laughed as he ascended the steps to stand next to his Gallagher, passing the cigarette over when he reached the top. "His friend too."

"Yeah well they like you well enough." Ian said, with pride dwelling beneath his words. "Maybe they really are insane?" He added happily, sarcasm lacing his voice as he leaned forward patronizingly, teasingly.

"Ha, fuck you." Mickey retorted, rolling his eyes and pushing the red-head away half heartedly. He sat down on the top step, obviously thinking about something.

Ian dropped his smile as he sat next to Mickey and watched the older boy for signs of whatever he was contemplating, searching for the appearance of a resolve on his face. He didn't say anything as the older boy just stared at the steps below him, biting his lip into his mouth as his blue eyes fixed on nothing in particular. Ian didn't know if he should be worried or not with how serious his partner now looked.

They sat there for a few minutes, Mickey not looking up as they passed the remainder of the cigarette back and forth between them. Ian had finally pried his eyes away from the concentrating boy beside him and was in the middle of staring at the rusty hinges of their front gate when Mickey's head shot up from his lap. "Fucking Toy Story!" He shouted for no ones benefit but his own.

Ian let out a shocked laugh, he turned to his lover and raised his eyebrows, willing the ex con to continue, to expand.

"That's who the little fucker reminds me of!" He said, looking into Ian's eyes with a contented and accomplished grin.

"Who?" Ian asked with another laugh, still waiting for a proper explanation.

"Your kid brother, reminds me of the fucker in Toy Story, the damn neighbour kid... Ya know... The asshole... Tried to blow the space man up with a rocket and barbecue the cowboy." He clicked his fingers, willing Ian to remember their names for him.

Another bout of laughter released itself from Ian's chest. His smile was blinding as he looked to Mickey in awe of his goofy expression. An innocence there he's never seen before, probably never will again. Everyone had childish moments, little slips of time where they revert to being a kid again, just for a second. Ian had seen them on every one he's ever met, he has them himself all the time, whenever he is near a swimming pool, especially one with a diving board, he forgets about every thing else and instantly becomes a 4 year old desperate to dive bomb into the water. Lip has them when he sees some newfangled piece of technology, he becomes like a kid in a candy store who just plain wants it, and sulks when he's reminded its not his to play with. Fiona's inner child is triggered by family mostly, when her siblings are carefree and she remembers shes allowed a moment of madness too, she loses all the weight on her shoulders then, throws her arms in the air and lets her hair down, or when she's at a club with Vee and forgets about everything but dancing to the music. Mandy's trigger could be seen as drugs, nothing gets her more goofy than drugs, but that doesn't count, drugs are an escape, they have that reaction on everyone in the South Side who just crave a bit of solace every once in a while. No, Mandy's real trigger is a little more deeply hidden than that. She only really lets go, becomes a kids again, when she feels protected enough to be able to forget. When she has no fear, then she is the biggest kid of them all. It doesn't happen often as fear and anger is in built in this neighbourhood. But when Mandy feels safe, when she's around Ian, Mickey, or even her other brothers, then you see the real girl shine through.

But Mickey doesn't really have a trigger, it's been knocked out of him. Ian guessed he knocked it out of himself when he realised that his dad would do it sooner or later and he wasn't willing to let his dad take yet another part of him away, so he stopped associating anything with being a kid again, because he wasn't allowed to be a kid, he had to be a fucking South Side warrior. So looking into Mickey's wide eyes, in his one moment of absolute glee, Ian's heart swells. He can't contain his own happiness so laughs again to disguise it, knowing the older boy would, albeit sarcastically, berate him for being soppy if he let slip just what emotions were pulsing through him right now.

He look down to the step below him as his chuckles wore off, then turned to look at Mickey, neck still arched downward. "Awww, you like Toy Story, Mick?" He said teasingly.

"Fuck you, everyone's seen that fucking movie," he said defensively, but the smile he wore told Ian that he wasn't really annoyed.

Ian hummed his agreement as Mickey took the last drag of the cigarette, stubbing it out on the step beside him, he tossed it over the fence and both boys stood up. They turned to go back into the house when Ian grabbed Mickey's elbow and turned to older boy to face him.

"Just so you know," he said, moving forward to talk quietly into Mickey's ear, knowing the contact would get him a reaction. Ian was still slightly bitter from being left in his room with a slight problem he couldn't take care of and no time for a cold shower. "The space 'marine'..." he accentuated the word with air quotes, "Is called Buzz and the cowboy is called Woody." He bit Mickey's ear lobe as he said the last word, brushing his hips a little closer to Mickey's.

Ian retreated his head and both boys dropped their smiles as they stared into each others eyes. Mickey ran his thumb across his bottom lip as Ian's green orbs bore into his bright blue ones. The ex con nodded slight before taking a small, quick, step forward.

"Woody!" Mickey yelled, at the exact same time as Ian shouted "Buzz." Their raised voices combining the two separate words into one loud and messy declaration.

"Are you kidding me Mick?" Ian squirmed. "Buzz is a fucking space marine... What is cooler than that? A cowboy doll? Really?"

"Buzz is a fucking ponce." Mickey shrugs back, smiling as he pulls away from Ian to once again make for the Gallagher front door. "He thinks he's fucking better than everyone else... Hell he thinks he's better than he really is... He's just a little toy with a big ego! Now Woody... he's knows his shit, knows how things work... he's more god damn loyal than the others AND he's funny as fuck."

Ian shakes his head as Mickey turns the door handle and steps inside, stopping again only to say a quick "Man, fuck Buzz," before sauntering into the house.


	10. Well, Dinner went Well!

When they got back inside everyone was already gathered in the kitchen, being allocated seats by Debbie as Fiona dished out food.

"Ian, you're there next to Mandy..." The red-headed girl called, waving them into the kitchen. "Mickey, you're between me and Ian." She said, pointing to their seats at the other side of the table, nearest to the door, nearest to the escape should shit hit the fan.

"Carl, you OK with that buddy?" Ian asked, noticing his brother and Hank slouching disgruntled in their chairs on the other side of Debbie's.

"They were fighting over who got to sit next to him," Debbie explained before either boy could answer. "So I made an executive decision." She proclaimed happily.

"He's my friend!" Carl protested, side eyeing Little Hank.

Huffing his shoulders and crossing his arms, Little Hank returned the glare. "You see him all the fucking time!"

Mickey smirked as he shook his head, taking his seat with a muffled laugh. Ian sat down next to his lover and scanned the faces of the room, Fiona, too distracted to care about Hanks swearing, was stood at the kitchen counter trying to evenly distribute the mash potato between the plates - having opted against putting a big bowl in the middle of the table and letting everyone help themselves because that would quickly descend to anarchy. Jimmy was sat next to, what Ian assumed was, Fiona's empty chair, Lloyd was next to him, looking extremely uncomfortable and very out of place. Vee was next, sat staring wide eyed at her husband, the two having some silent conversation between their eyes and their smiles. Kev and Lip were sat on stools in front of the counter dividing the kitchen, where Ian assumed they would be staying for the duration of the meal. Mandy was next to Vee, which Ian thought was a bit of a risky idea what with the occasionally frosty relationship between the two, but oh well, anything to add to the drama.

"He's fucking my brother!" Carl shouted fiercely. Ian was instantly snapped from his thoughts, he shot a glare at his little brother as Mickey's eyes grew wide, he'd just released his beer over himself with a cough, luckily having not taken a very large sip. The two were not the only ones now staring at Carl, everyone in the room was now transfixed on the conversation between the two young hooligans, who both seemed undeterred by their new audience.

"So?" Hank shot back.

"So..." Carl drew out the word for effect, "If my brothers letting Mickey stick shit up his butt for fun... Then he's my fucking friend not yours!"

"CARL!" Fiona screamed, suddenly uncaring about her mash portions. This time it wasn't Mickey, but several other people choking, either on their drink or just out of shock. Mandy, Lip, Jimmy, Kev and Lloyd were all spluttering for breath as Vee just tilted her head, looking between Ian and Mickey as if for the first time understanding what they do behind closed doors. Ian looked to his brother with his mouth slightly agape and his eyebrows high on his forehead, beside him Mickey just shook his head and ran his hands down his face, snickered out a disbelieving laugh before he turned to his little protégée. "Nice fucking logic there man."

"What?" Carl asked defensively when he noticed, as if for the first time, all the faces that were now focused on him.

"That doesn't even make sense." Hank said sullenly, still oblivious to everyone else's shell shocked attention.

"Say another word and I'll see to it you never go near Mickey again!" Fiona all but yelled before Carl could retort and continue his argument with Little Hank.

Ian didn't quite know what to do, or say, or even think. He just looked to Mickey, who slowly turned his head to return the gaze. Ian tried to convey his thoughts through his eyes, he shrugged and smiled coyly, apologising silently. Mickey just shook his head and waved his hand, brushing off the sorry and returning to look at the table. Relief washed over Ian when he realised the older boy wasn't about to bolt or throw a fit but he had to admit that he was confused why Mickey wasn't reacting to the blatant discussion of his sex life, but he wasn't going to question it. Then, Ian noticed a change in Mickey, the older boys lips twitched at the corners and before long he was full on smirking, he turned his head to look back into Ian's eyes. At first the red-head remained confused, and slightly wary, before he finally processed what had just happened and understood exactly what Mickey was thinking. Ian scowled and thumped his Milkovich hard on the arm and glared harder still when Mickey just laughed and didn't even bother to feign pain.

Mandy soon cottoned on to what was going on between her brother and best friend, and she smiled and poked Ian on the shoulder. "Can't say I'm surprised," she deadpanned when Ian turned to look at her, "Out of the two of you I always pegged you for the bottom." She teased.

"Fuck you." He sneered back playfully, until of course he saw Vee from the corner of his eye nodding in agreement. "Fuck you!" He shouted to the room when no one contradicted the Milkovich girl. He looked around for anyone to back him up, but no one seemed to disagree with the statement, hell even Lloyd, who knew what Ian's preference was, seemed convinced by the idea that Mickey was the top. Carl and Little Hank looked confused but Debbie understood, she laughed along with the rest as Ian raised his arms in protest, when the red-head turned to Mickey the older boy just raised a single eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders lightly, a smile still tugging at his stupidly gorgeous lips. Ian really didn't want to be attracted to the thug right now. Admitting defeat, and unwilling to push Mickey too far by blurting out the truth of the situation, Ian eventually just sagged back into his chair. "Whatever," he blurted out, a smirk of his own forming, "Liking what I like don't make me a bitch!"

Mickey laughed out loud at that, he turned to his lover and raised both eyebrows, smiling when he saw Ian's shit eating grin, which only grew wider when he realised he could get away with that kind of teasing now. Mickey's face screamed 'Oh yeah?' but the dark haired boy stayed silent, no one else in the room understood the teasing exchange between the two boys, and no one else had to. They didn't know their in jokes or their history. Besides, soon enough the other people in the room gave up on trying to understand and the kitchen fell into a warm silence, a tranquility that was unusual for the Gallagher house. Lloyd still looked tense, his gaze flicking between Ian and Mickey, seemingly having given up on the idea of talking to his son. Carl had forgotten he was sulking now and was currently ripping up bits of paper, scrunching them up and then launching them at a giggling Liam or an annoyed Debbie. Hank though, he still looked deep in thought.

"So some guys, like, stick things up their butts... for fun?" Hank asked no one in particular, with a shocking amount of sweetness and innocence to the question considering the meaning of it. His face was screwed up in confusion and he looked around with pleading eyes.

"Oh we are NOT having that conversation!" Fiona ordered with a smirk, forbidding anyone at the table to answer.

Mickey just snorted and went back to doodling on the table cloth with the permanent marker he stole off of Carl to stop him doing the exact same thing. Ian muttered a quiet 'Jesus Christ' with a smile on his face and went back to trying to work out exactly what Mickey was drawing, regretting it the instant he noticed what looked suspiciously like a stick figure giving another stick figure an uncomfortable looking blow job. He scrunched up his nose in mock disgust as mickey drew an arrow from that particular drawing to Ian with the word 'Bitch' scribbled under it. Ian grabbed the pen and scribbled out the drawing, quickly giving it back when Mickey raised his fist to punch the red-heads arm. Raising his own hands in surrender, Ian laughed, turned and talked to a bored, and somewhat disappointed looking, Mandy.

 

-x-

 

Everyone else was lost in conversation, or in thought, when Debbie and Fiona handed out the plates of food, before finally taking their seats. As predicted, there was anarchy at the table, people were grabbing for the sauces and the salt and pepper, before tossing them to the person who yelled the loudest when they were done. It wasn't just condiments flying around the table, much to Fiona's chagrin, food was also being passed between the hungry horde. Carl had too much mash, Lip didn't have enough chicken, Mandy didn't want her vegetables and Debbie was less than impressed with her portion of stuffing. An intricate barter and swap system over took the table, with everyone going out of their way to secure the rights to Mickey's boiled corn on the cob when the neighbourhood thug announced that he didn't like it. Despite Carl offering all of his mash and his stuffing, with an added promise of half of whatever pudding was to follow, the corn eventually went to Ian when the red-head played dirty. The selling price of the corn – 1x stuffing ball, 2x chicken pieces (Ian's choice of pieces) and all the mash that Mickey could fit on his fork in one scoop, as well as 3 moderate spoonful's of the nights pudding and (this being the clincher) Jell-O on demand for the next week (Mickey's choice of flavours). Hank huffed out his disappointment as Ian collected his winnings and Mickey retrieved his fee, the young hoodlum had offered to introduce the Milkovich to his older brother should he tire of Ian or the rest of the Gallagher's.

During the food exchange, under which Kev had agreed to a swap of his chicken with Lip instead of Vee – which earned the barmen a sex ban of up to a week, with a 3 day minimum, Fi had eventually relented and joined in, relinquishing some of her stuffing to a disgruntled Debbie in exchange for some more mash that she didn't really want. To Lloyd's surprise, Jimmy was just as comfortable now to join in, swapping his excess of potato for Mandy's unwanted vegetables. Naturally, Lloyd stayed out of the whole ordeal, sitting silently next to his son and eating his food with manners that he no doubt felt were lacking in his dinner companions. Ian has seen different sides to the older man, he's seen the playful, flirty – what Lip would call perverted and Mickey would call something else entirely – side to him, he's seen him make a fool out of himself when drunk and trying to get on Ian in front of a crowded bar. He's heard the cheesy, useless pick-up lines and he's watched him taunt a bullet ridden Mickey, just because he knew at the time that the Milkovich couldn't do anything to shut him up. What Ian's never seen is the quiet Lloyd, the awkward man that now sat at the table, because he usually always had something to say and he was never embarrassed or shy. When the Gallagher boy looked to his side and saw a scoffing Mickey caught up in a food race with Carl, Debbie and Little Hank, he smiled and shook his head, because honestly, he couldn't give a shit about Lloyd and his little mysteries because he had the biggest mystery of them all and Ian loved the way the older boy made him feel like he was the only one who could possibly solve the enigma that was Mickey Milkovich. Mickey won the food race, with Carl in second, Debbie third and Hank still not quite finished, Mandy acted as her brothers personal cheerleader, shouting out a proud "You don't mess with a Milkovich and their food!"

The three youngsters laughed, Hank still with food in his mouth, and the adults in the room seemed unsure whether to be disgusted by the show, surprised that Mickey was making an effort with the kids, or grateful that he was distracting them from demanding the attention of everyone at the table. Ian didn't care what decision they made, he was proud of the effort Mickey was making and he was having fun watching him interact with his siblings. He was just surprised at how natural it all seemed.

"Thanks." He muttered into Mickey's ear after the Milkovich boy had finished washing down his latest food intake.

"For what?" Mickey responded, brows furrowed, honestly not knowing what he had done.

"For that," he returned, waving his hand between Mickey and his siblings, "For them," he said with a smile.

"Whatever man," Mickey said back, shrugging and running his thumb across his lip, "I'm not doing anything." He looked sideways at Ian and didn't bother to hide his own smile when he saw that famous shit eating grin, the one that was just for Mickey, the one that only got bigger, happier, even more genuine, when the younger boy understood what Mickey was saying. He really wasn't doing anything, he wasn't trying to impress anyone, he wasn't trying to make friends, this really was happening naturally.

-x-

Ian's blatant disinterest in Lloyd, though, didn't stop the old man from occasionally glancing at the red-head, it didn't stop the glances sometimes lingering long enough to become stares, and it certainly didn't stop the looks of disgust he failed to hide every time Ian interacted with Mickey. The looks weren't missed by Ian, they weren't missed by an annoyed looking Jimmy and they certainly weren't missed by the ex-con himself. As if sensing the rising tension Fiona tried to steer the groups separate conversations into one big group discussion.

"So Dr Lishman," She said joyfully, and loud enough to get everyone's attention, "Deb's and Carl were really interested when Jimmy was thinking of going back to medical school, they had a bunch of questions for him every time he came home, isn't that right Jimmy… Carl… Debs?" She raised her eyebrows at the confused looks all three were giving her, after rolling her eyes and sighing she thrashed her head towards Lloyd and gestured for someone to say something.

"Yeah," Debbie followed reluctantly, "Yeah we were just wandering what it was like to be a doctor?" She asked politely, trying her best to sound genuinely interested.

"It, umm, pays the bills," he offered with a distracted smile, continuing only when Jimmy nudged him with his elbow. "It's good, really, I get to cut people up." He said, looking at Carl as if hoping to impress the youngster, an enthusiastic smile now etched onto his face as he turned to glance at Ian, as if impressing the young Gallagher boy with tales of blood and gore will grant him favour with his favourite red-head and one up Mickey. Ian barely held in his laugh when Carl's instant reaction was to turn to Mickey and ask, "Have you ever cut anything open?"

Debbie rolled her eyes, obviously aware of what Fiona was trying to do, nevertheless she turned her eyes to Mickey and eagerly awaited his answer, her expectant glare mirrored by both Carl and Little Hank. Ian would be lying if he said that he wasn't intrigued to hear the ex-cons answer too, as, it seemed, was almost everyone else around the table, with the exception of Lloyd and Mandy, the latter probably already knew the answer.

"'Course, man. Who the hell hasn't?" He challenged.

"Don't think he was talking about dissecting frogs in Biology class Mick." Ian said with a smile.

"Neither was I." Mickey defended, looking to both Ian and Lip with disbelief, "You two genius' have never done a bit of out of school experimenting?" He said with a sneer, his voice feigning innocence. Ian just shook his head slightly and drew his hands up in the air, silently claiming naivety to all things deemed morally questionable. Lip, for his part, just stared at Mickey like he was trying to work out every detail of the other boy, without having to actually learn anything more about him than what he already knew. "Well you're fucking missing out." Mickey added, shoving Ian's shoulder when the red-head just snorted and said "Whatever," with a sarcastic smile.

"I guess the difference is, when I do it, it's to save lives…" Lloyd stated smugly, patronisingly, Mickey didn't react but everyone's eyes shot to the Milkovich boy with a renowned temper. "That and I get paid a shed load of money for it." He pushed further, digging for a reaction.

Before Mickey, or Ian for that matter, could react to bring the good doctor down a peg or two, the anger bubbling away at both of the boys now, Debbie spoke up.

"Can't really use both those arguments in the same sentence." She stated matter-of-factly, eyes boring into Lloyds. "I mean, you're either a doctor so you can save people, or you're a doctor for the 'shed load of money'," she argued, holding up air quotes as she mimicked Lloyd's words.

Lloyd hitched a breath as he searched for a response, he looked to Jimmy and then Fiona, who looked apologetic but didn't have any help to offer.

"Think it's a bit more complicated than that Debs." Lip interjected, trying for appearances sake to help Lloyd out, more for Fiona's benefit than his own, his words sounded empty, with no weight behind them, more rehearsed than honest.

Debbie just shrugged and muttered out an undeterred "Whatever."

"Oh it's not so complicated," Lloyd said, trying to regain some favour points with Debbie, the old man faltered a little when the young Gallagher girl didn't bother looking up. "I do a worthwhile job, and so I get a complementary salary."

Debbie still didn't flinch.

"What sort of things do you cut up?" Carl asked after a moment's awkward silence, filled with false smiles and mock concern.

"Well…" Lloyd started, hopefully.

"You're a doctor, we know what you cut up," Debbie interrupted, "He was talking to Mickey."

"Deb's!" Fiona called out, her tone somehow dangerous without being threatening in any way.

"What?" The youngest Gallagher girl said back, defensive and unapologetic.

"It's OK…" Lloyd said calmly, raising his hands appeasingly.

"Just don't be rude, OK?" Fiona said softly, smiling as she looked into Debbie's eyes, silently reminding her that she really wanted Jimmy's father to like them, to accept them, to approve.

"Well she was right." Carl announced, "I did mean Mickey, I was even looking right at him when I said it…" His tone was defensive, irritated, like he was annoyed that Debbie was getting into trouble for telling the truth.

Mickey opened his mouth to say something but Fiona immediately cut him off. "We are not having that conversation at the dinner table." Her voice carried the same warning it had earlier, the softness was gone and was replaced by an iron resolve, her eyes focused on Mickey.

"He started it!" Carl hit back, pointing straight at Lloyd with a fierce determination, now angry that both Debbie and Mickey were getting scorned because of the old man.

"Well I'm ending it." Fiona almost growled, she exhaled a calming breath then looked to her young brother and smiled, a genuine smile despite her obvious stress, "OK?" She asked softly.

Carl, just nodded then looked around at the faces encircling the table, Lloyd looked down at his food, mashing it around his plate with his fork. Kev and Vee were smiling at each other, eyebrows raised and clearly enjoying the entertainment. Lip was smirking to himself as he picked half-heartedly at his food. Mandy was full on grinning, eating like nothing had happened, Fiona and Jimmy were looking at each other with contradicting looks of humour and anxiety etched across both of their faces. Ian was looking at his plate, one hand in his lap and the other reaching for Mickey's thigh, when he made contact the older boy turned to face him. Ian squeezed his lover's leg and smirked, unable to hide his delight at Deb and Carl's automatic reaction to stick up for Mickey. Mickey tilted his head and looked back at Ian, face neutral as he examined the red-heads features. He bit the inside of his cheek as he let his lips contort into a quick, small, smile. Something was eating at Mickey and Ian knew it but he wasn't going to force the issue now, Mickey would talk to him about it, of this he was sure, but it could wait until after dinner.

 

-x-

 

The rest of the meal was surprisingly tame, tame for the Gallagher household anyway, and one nosebleed was certainly more subdued than a Milkovich family dinner. Mandy had just told everyone the story of Mickey and Iggy trying to find out who was the toughest by seeing who could stuff the most marshmallows up their nose, when you're 5 and 4 respectively then what better measure is there for strength and determination. When Debbie asked who won, Carl just scoffed and said "Who do you think?" Before turning to Mickey for confirmation, to which the ex-con just smirked slightly and nodded. Not to be outdone Lip started a story of his own, reminding the family of the time that he and Ian tried to catch Frank in the act with a married woman so they could blackmail him for some Hershey bars, they were 6 and 5 at the time.

The battle of the 'Families Weird' lasted for several more rounds, culminating in the story of Mickey, Iggy and Joey trying to capture a dwarf and take him into school for Iggy's show and tell when the oldest of the three was 8. They couldn't believe their luck when they spotted an unsuspecting target at the local pool and staked him out until the man fell asleep. They got as far as pressing a cloth to the man's mouth, a cloth soaked in what they assumed was Chloroform, a substance Joey assured them would put the man to sleep for hours because he had 'seen it on this television program and it, like, never failed'. Unfortunately, the boys hadn't distinguished between Chloroform and Chlorine, so were startled when all pushing a rag soaked in the swimming pool did to the man was wake him up angry. They were also too proud of their idea not to share it with the pool security officer and even offer him in on the deal if he looked the other way, like they had seen their dad do so many times to cops, as well as rival neighbourhood dealers. Exasperated, and disgusted with the local youths, the officer rang up their father and banned the three from the pool, a ban that has yet to be lifted. Terry just laughed and called them idiots, muttered a sarcastic "Better luck next time." And returned to the couch with a beer and a joint.

Too distracted were the adults of the room to notice that Carl and Little Hank had decided to test their own strength, re-enacting Mickey and Iggy's marshmallow contest, unfortunately as they had no means of acquiring marshmallows, the young rebels in the making settled for using bits of plastic they had earlier carved off of one of Debbie's old Barbie dolls.

"Take that shit out of your nose, 'less you wanna be drinking your own blood for the next few hours." Mickey proclaimed to a stunned kitchen, no one but the two boys having any idea what he was talking about.

Carl and Hank looked at each other guiltily, then down at the pieces of Barbie still piled on the table, checking to see whose pile was higher. Satisfied that his pile was smaller, Little Hank proceeded to remove each piece of burnt or carved up plastic from his nostrils, declaring himself the victor with the smile that beamed from his eyes. Carl huffed out an annoyed grunt, side eyeing his own pile again before Mickey coughed to get his attention then glared and raised his eyebrows in challenge. Carl looked to his mentor and instantly relented, deflating slightly as he followed Hank in unclogging his nose. The rest of the diners just stared at the Milkovich as he turned away from Carl and carried on doodling, not looking up at his audience once, even when he huffed out an annoyed "What?" when they continued to stare.

This snapped the onlookers out of their trance as Fiona moved from her spot to help Carl remove the last of the pieces, as she brushed past Hank, whom she assumed had already finished considering the way his hands were now rested on the table, the young blonde boy screeched out a pained "Ouch."

"You got a bit fucking stuck up there haven't you?" Mickey finally raised his head to look at the agitated boy.

Hank just nodded his head. "Were you gonna say anything or just sit there all night and hope it'd go away?" Mickey scoffed, standing as he spoke. He moved passed a surprised Fiona and, a suddenly uplifted, Carl and stopped at Little Hank's side. "Got any tweezers?" He asked no one in particular. Ian got up and ran to the living room before sprinting back with his Swiss army knife.

"You should let Vee do that." Fiona said sternly as Mickey took the tweezers from the side of the multi-functioning tool.

"It's not fucking rocket science." Mickey retorted, did they really think he was gonna damage the kid?

"Still..." Fiona replied condescendingly, stretching out her arm and gesturing toward Vee.

Mickey stopped what he was doing and looked straight to Ian, as if asking his permission to disregard his big sister. Ian smiled at the gesture and nodded his head, but just as Mickey was telling Hank to tilt his head back, Lloyd added in his two cents. "Last time I checked you weren't a doctor son, maybe you should let someone who knows what they're doing do that." With his words both Vee and Lloyd stood and reached for the tweezers, both taking steps towards Hank. Ian noticed the way the youngster flinched at the approaching figures, leaning back in his chair slightly, as if trying to flee from a touch that hadn't even come yet, Mickey noticed too.

"Yeah? Well last time I checked I wasn't your fucking son and this kid ain't got any money to pay so you and your oversized ego might wanna take a step back." Mickey shot back, he put his hand on Little Hank's shoulder and once again asked if was ready.

"Mickey, don't be a dick. This isn't a damn pissing contest between you and the good doctor, just let Vee do what she does best and everyone can go back to ignoring each other in blissful silence." Lip muttered when he saw Fiona scowl and Vee making no move to sit back down.

"Ummm, second best." Kev chimed in with a wink to his smiling wife, finger raised in the air as if asking for everyone's attention.

Ian shot a look of anger at his brother, then turned to face Mickey, giving the older boy a placating smile and shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine, all yours!" The ex-con huffed out, standing back and letting Veronica walk passed him.

She replaced his hand on Hank's shoulder with her own and took the tweezers from Mickey's out stretched hand, all the while Hank just looked up at her with wide eyes searching frantically for some form of familiarity.

"He doesn't like needles." Carl interjected, when Vee looked to Fiona for answers as to why the boy was so frightened to be touched.

"These are tweezers sweetie, no needles here." She said gently, tilting the young boys head back up to face her, a soft smile gracing her lips.

Then, out of nowhere, Hank screamed, he thrashed his arms and legs and almost propelled himself backwards off of the chair. Vee jumped back and raised her hands innocently and Mickey had had enough. "Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered before pushing Vee out of the way and reclaiming the tweezers out of her shocked frozen hands. He grabbed the back of Hank's neck and steadied the chair with his foot, pushing back slightly so he could stand directly in front of the anxious little boy. "Head back!" Mickey demanded and when Hank instantly obeyed Mickey moved with a determined precision. He raised the tool in his hand as he looked down Hanks nostrils to locate the offending plastic and in one swift movement pulled the shard straight out of the boy's nose and dropped it into his waiting hands, moving so quickly that no one else had any time to react. "Look at that… The boy's still fucking alive!" He all but yelled at the bemused faces surrounding him, he shoved the tweezers back into the Swiss army knife and tossed it to Ian, before slinking back to his seat and sitting down with a graceless thump.

Ian let a smug smile engulf his face as his eyes scanned the room. Mandy, too, was glowing as she smirked into her drink. Debbie looked awe struck as she turned to Mickey and opened her mouth to speak.

"You met my fucking sister?" He asked before Debbie could get out the question that was on everyone's lips. "Bitch was a nightmare when she was younger, always sticking shit up her nose, through her ears, in her mouth," his voice returned to normal as his mouth scrunched up into a cheeky and teasing grin, "Not much has changed."

"Fuck you ass hole!" Mandy shot back with a smile.

Hank stared at the shard of plastic in his hand for a few seconds, then looked to Mickey with appreciative eyes. The Milkovich boy nodded slightly before returning his head to focus on the, now covered in ink, tablecloth in front of him. Realising Carl's obvious jealousy of the undivided attention he had had from Mickey, Hank turned to smirk at his best friend and mouth a very unsubtle, 'I win!' nodding his head as if to rub salt in the wound of Carl's dented pride. Hell have no fury like young miscreant scorned…

"Hank had a dream about Vee and Fiona making out!" Carl shouted, as Fi sat back down. "He's also scared of moths and really likes some of Debbie's crappy chick movies!" He continued with a devilish smile.

Hank went bright crimson as his mouth fell open. He gawped at Carl before dropping his shoulders and raising his hands. His face dropped all expression for a moment, before scrunching up in anger at his best friend, who had just relayed some of his deepest darkest secrets. Eyes narrowed dangerously and lips pursed together tightly, Hank pulled one arm back and swung, punching Carl straight in the nose with all of his might.

Everyone shot up as Carl steadied himself on his chair, everyone except Mickey and Mandy who were used to acts of violence around the dinner table.

"Jesus Carl… Hank… What the hell?" Fiona called as she sprinted to the sink and threw Vee a wet cloth, her best friend then ran to Carl and started clearing away the blood. Carl tried to brush away all of the concern but Lip was by his side an instant later with his hand planted reassuringly on his back. Lloyd had sat back down and was, once again looking at Ian, the red-head still stood but not moving to further crowd his brother.

"Do I have to leave?" Hank asked innocently, as Fiona rounded the middle counter and walked toward her injured sibling.

Fiona let out an exasperated sigh and ran her hands down her face, before shaking her head and looking at the young blonde boy who had just assaulted Carl. "What? No… Just… Swap places with Mandy." She said, voice gentle and filled with its usual concern.

As an awkward Hank lowered himself into his new seat next to Ian, the red-head smiled at him and tapped him on the shoulder to make sure he was OK, before turning back to Carl as the youngster had finally gotten his concerned family to back off.

"You sure you're alright there Kiddo?" She said warmly as she returned to her seat.

"Yes." He protested, "God, it's like I've never been injured before!"

Lip and Ian laughed, Fiona let out an extended breath, Vee kissed Kev on her way back to her chair and he returned the gesture of love by smacking her ass as she walked passed and Debbie muttered "Get a room," as she stood to begin collecting plates. Jimmy rose to help clear the table, obviously fearing the new calm would prompt his father to try and talk to him again, and soon silence returned to the household. Muttered conversations took place as the table was cleared and desert was dished out, Mickey immediately claiming his three spoonful's from Ian's plate. Ian shoved the older boy when his last spoonful was quite a bit more than just moderate, however, when the cocky Milkovich blew him an air kiss the taken aback red-head made no move to reclaim any of it.

Everyone at the table looked relieved as the group were finishing up with pudding, none more so than Ian and Mickey, glad to finally be nearing the end of the damn meal, almost able to leave. The last of the plates had just been collected by Lip and Kev, when Lloyd once again tried to get his sons attention.

"So Mickey…" Jimmy said, ignoring his father again, "You and Ian, huh? How did that come about?"

Mickey just grimaced and looked to Ian, the red-head shrugged and looked back to Jimmy, obviously confused as to why he was even talking to Mickey, yet alone asking that.

"He threatened me with a crowbar." Mickey replied matter-of-factly, uncaring at how ridiculous it sounded for such violence to be the basis of any kind of relationship.

"Fair enough…" The part time wannabe doctor, part time car thief replied. "So… Tell us about yourself." He continued, obviously scrambling for anything to say.

"Are you serious?" Mickey asked, generally bemused why he even pretended to give a damn, why it was Mickey he was now using as a distraction.

"Yeah, just… Ya know… Trying to get to know the guy that stole Ian's heart." He said back, with a patronising smile.

Then Mickey got it, he understood. He smirked as he looked to his red-head, who by the looks of things had also just worked it out. Ian shrugged at him and smiled so Mickey let rip. "OK," he started, turning to look Jimmy dead in the eye. "I have it on good authority that I'm an asshole, seriously, ask anyone who's met me. I prefer fighting to talking, love the feel of broken bones under my fists, head-butts are the way to go for instant satisfaction though…" He continued with a dangerous snarling smile. "I've spent more time in juvie than in school… I mean, play to your strengths right… I didn't treat Gallagher here very well for the first… what… 3 years of whatever the fuck kinda relationship this was at the time?" He said, looking to Ian for an answer to a rhetorical question. "I beat up your dear old dad there the first day I met him because I was a jealous son of a bitch and he was trying to get what was mine…" Mickey smirked at Ian when the younger boy smiled and grabbed hold of his thigh again, squeezing as he said the word 'mine'. "Even my family hate me right now, either because I'm queer or because of the asshole thing… but then again… my whole family are assholes so I'm guessing it's the faggot thing… I may be the fucking epitome of South Side scum, but I'm not an idiot, so next time you wanna use me to piss off your prick of a father, who obviously still has a bit of a hard on for… What was it he calls you? Ginger snap?" Another rhetorical question that Ian just rolled his eyes at. "Ginger snap over here… which you seem more than a little bit pissed off about, I suggest you get back at him some other way… 'Cause really, talking to me is not gonna help… I mean, take this little exchange, I think bringing me into it has just put us both firmly on your ladies shit list."

Everyone was now gawping at Mickey, most with a kind of disgust in their eyes, Ian with acceptance, love even and an ounce of humour. He knew Mickey was finally letting rip, pissed off at the constant judgments Mickey finally didn't care anymore and let it out. Ian was proud that the older boy kept it so damn tame, in all honesty. Words were obviously hanging on everyone's lips, but it was only Mandy who voiced her thoughts.

"Fuck you!" She all but screamed. "Not all Milkovich's are assholes!"

"No sorry, you're right, some are skanks." He offered, laughing when Mandy reached over to punch him, missing her intended target and catching her elbow on the table. Mandy smiled as she sat back down and shook her head in mock disgust.

"Is that why you won't talk to me? Because you think I'm still interested in Ian?" Lloyd asked before Fiona could shout at Mickey for his outburst in front of her kids, because they were her kids and they didn't need to hear all of that.

"Think? It's pretty obvious dad, you've been ogling him all night. That the only reason you came here, pretend you wanted to talk to me but actually you just wanted to see your god damn 'Ginger Snap'? I mean Jesus dad!" Jimmy shouted back.

Fiona tried to shoo the kids into the living room but no one budged, all eyes now focused on Jimmy and Lloyd.

"You were the one that said to come here, I was just going to meet you at a bar or a restaurant or something… You asked me to come to this damn dinner party!" Lloyd protested, shouting just as loud as his son.

"Some bar dad? So you could get drunk again, ask to crash here and then sneak into bed with the wrong god damn boy… again… And who was gonna pay for those drinks huh?" Jimmy continued before his dad could defend himself against the first comment. "You're broke dad, you can't afford a god damn bar or a restaurant… you can't afford that stupid car outside that you refuse to give up… You can't afford the lavish hotel room you've been god damn living in and you definitely can't afford those fancy fucking suits you keep bloody buying!" Jimmy's face was red with anger, veins threatening to explode from his forehead.

"If I'm such a disgrace, such a god damn let down for you son, you won't care that I'm leaving… Getting the hell away from this shit hole and moving to New York, better position at the hospital… more pay, less hours and no more god damn judgements." Lloyd stood up defensively.

Vee looked away almost instantly, trying to hide her 'oh shit' expression. Kev and Lip snickered to themselves and pretended to be in a separate conversation of their own. Jimmy and Fiona just looked shocked, the former instantly calmed from his previously angry state.

"Are you serious?" He muttered, standing up next to his father.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." He said, voice now void of any anger.

Mickey and Ian both tried to hide their 'no shit' expressions as they looked into each other's eyes. For their part, all of the kids stayed silent. Hank was obviously awkward though, with his proximity to the two men who were moments ago both yelling at the top of their lungs. The young boy leaned back, pushing his seat slightly closer to Ian's.

"Does mum know?" Jimmy asked, innocently. Fiona placed her hand on his back, trying to offer reassurance that the man didn't seem to quite get.

"No, and she wouldn't care if she did. You can tell her if you want." He added as an almost after thought.

There was a silence then, broken minutes later when Lloyd, who had not looked at anyone since his rage filled declaration, looked to Ian with sorrowful eyes. Ian scoffed loudly when he saw the old man in his peripherals, the red-head turned to Mickey, he'd seen it to.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Was all the Milkovich said before standing up and moving around the table. Lloyd flinched when he came close, assuming, like everyone else did, that Mickey was going to hit him. But Mickey just walked straight passed the older man and was almost out of the kitchen when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"What is your god damn problem?" Lloyd asked, apparently growing some balls now that Ian was showing no sign of giving a shit that he was leaving.

Ian immediately raced to Mickey's side, turning with the boy he loved to both face Lloyd. "What is it with you… You just attracted to assholes or summit?" The ex-con asked, still looking towards the old man in front of him.

"Well you're an asshole, so I guess so," Ian retorted playfully, also not looking away from Lloyd. "Dunno if this counts as attraction though," he added, knowing his lover is talking about Ian's 'relationship' with Lloyd. "More a distraction," he clarified, "From you and you're latest asshole behaviour." He smirked when he finally looked at Mickey, the older boy returning his gaze with a faint smile.

"Someone wanna fill me in on the joke?" Jimmy said, his face mirroring his father's confusion.

"The good doctor ain't going nowhere." Mickey declared with a snort, a pitiful smile gracing his lips as he shook his head.

"What the hell…" Lloyd started.

"He's fucking bored." Mickey cut him off, turning to look at Jimmy. "He's not getting enough attention, got no more wife, no more boy toy…" Ian smacked his shoulder when Mickey gestured to him, both boys smiling quickly. "And no more doting son, what with your new family getting… What… All of your time now?"

"So he pretended to be moving away?" Fiona said back, obviously not convinced.

"Probably wanted sonny boy here to beg him to stay, tell him he still needed him around, didn't want him and his midlife fucking crisis to leave… Or some shit like that. First thing he did when that didn't happen, was look at his favourite one time fuck buddy here… kicked puppy eyes and everything. Guess he was still hoping Ian would give a shit." Mickey's words were confident and mocking, Lloyds face giving away their truth.

"See that's the thing about my brother," Mandy interrupted with a smile, having noticed Lloyd's silent admission, "He may look, and act, as thick as pig shit," Mandy unsuccessfully dodged the baby toy that Mickey hurled at her face and raised her hands in an insincere gesture of surrender. "Fact is though, he's fucking smart when he wants to be… Street smart anyway… Can read people better than anyone I ever met… Can't hide anything from Mickey… Pain in the ass for me, growing up I couldn't get away with shit." She finished her little rant with a proud smirk, and a wink at her best friend, a silent warning that he should never try to get one over on her brother.

"I don't… By the way." Ian added after a moment's silence, he wasn't trying to kick Lloyd while he was down, but he knew the friction that his fling with the doctor had created for his sister and Jimmy. He needed them to both understand just how concretely over it was so that they didn't have to spend the next few nights resentful of each other and their respective families. "Give a shit… I mean," Ian added, trying not to sound callous or further hurt an already defeated looking Lloyd. "I don't not give a shit, I just don't care either way… shit… I mean…" Mickey snorted out an amused laugh at Ian's hopeless mumbling. "You're a nice enough guy Ned… Lloyd… Fucking, Dr Lishman, but apparently I only really like douche bags." He said, pointing his thumb at Mickey, smiling politely at Lloyd. He didn't really need to point out that Lloyd was never more than a reaction to Mickey in the first place, didn't need to tell him that everything Ian's done since that first time with the Milkovich boy has been about Mickey.

Fiona smiled at her brother, eyes thanking him for the sentiment, for trying. But she could already tell that this was going to get much messier before it got any better.

"Are you that lonely?" Jimmy asked his deflated father. His voice was quiet and hesitant.

"What the hell do you know?" Was his only response before Lloyd charged passed him, passed Ian and Mickey, through the living room and out of the front door.

Jimmy sighed heavily before turning to Fiona apologetically, "I gotta go deal with this." He said softly, she smiled comfortingly at her boyfriend and he turned to follow his father out of the Gallagher house.

"Well that was fun!" Lip shouted, jumping down from his seat and clapping his hands together. Carl and Hank were already distracted with flinging bits of plastic at each other, the same plastic that had previously been up their noses. Liam was still sat in his high chair, largely staying out of the way. The rest of the current occupants of the Gallagher kitchen though, they all looked between Lip, Fiona, Ian and Mickey. The latter three seeming to be the most involved with the nights events.

"Jesus Christ." Fiona spat out, slamming her hand on the table as she threw herself back down into her seat. "Was that really necessary?" She asked angrily, turning to face Mickey to avoid any confusion as to who the question was directed to.

"What?" He returned defensively, "Telling the fucking truth?"

"In front of everyone?" She gestured to the people sat around the table, Mickey laughed an annoyed laugh and shrugged his shoulders.

"He asked a fucking question, I answered it." He stated honestly.

"That simple?" Disbelief filled Fiona's voice as her anger refused to subside.

"Isn't it always with me? I am a Milkovich after all!" He snorted, turning on his heal and walking into the living room to let out an extended breath. He paced the room a few times, trying to breathe his own anger out of his system, before looking up at Ian to try and gauge whether or not the red-head was also pissed at him. Ian just smiled his best calming smile, then turned back to his family in the kitchen.

"So this is all Mickey's fault?" Ian asked quietly, voice filled with a kind of sad acceptance.

Fiona just looked to her little brother, her features screaming 'who else's could it be'. She shook her head slightly as she returned her gaze to the table.

"He did kinda dig the boot in with Lloyd, don't ya think little brother?" Lip said calmly, realising his sister wasn't going to speak and Ian actually wanted an answer.

"Seriously?" Ian was beyond dumbfounded, could they really not see everything that happened here. How it all really played out. How Mickey was pushed and undermined at every turn, insulted and judged openly. How he was constantly underestimated, how he held off longer than he ever normally would and that even when he did break and let rip, he still held back and bit his tongue. They really didn't see any of that, because as dumb as they think Mickey is, Mandy's right, the ex-con is incredibly perceptive and the older generation in that kitchen really do think the Milkovich boy is that simple. That he is just a definition, not a real person with depth but a caricature drawn in black and white. They think he's bad news, no more, no less.

"Yes seriously, Ian." Fiona yelled, her angry face softened though, the minute she saw Ian's disheartened stare. "Listen kiddo, I know you like…" She bit her lip into her mouth and exhaled. "I know you love him, but you wanted us to try and we did. That's what this meal was about…"

"Oh my god, you gotta be kidding me." Ian interrupted. "I really thought this dinner was about you finally giving Mickey a chance…" He laughed bitterly to himself. "But it wasn't was it? It was about you proving me wrong… About Mickey doing something wrong, fucking up and proving you were right all along! Well guess what… Mickey didn't fuck up, he did nothing wrong … Your plan failed and you still can't admit that maybe it's you who's wrong." Ian was livid now, he turned to see Mickey, still pacing in the living room, but looking at the red-head all the while, eyes wide and uncertain, face completely dismayed. A look he knew was on his face as well, a look neither boy ever wanted to see on the others face again.

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Fiona asked incredulously, "You heard what he said, in front of the kids, that little speech he gave about being an asshole and a faggot?" Fiona said, disgusted at the use of that last word.

Ian turned back to face his sister, anger now replaced by a knowing calm. He was completely at the end of his tether. Here they were, him and Mickey, having beat the threat of his father, survived him being outed to the rest of his family, hell, moved past their own individual conflicts, both inner and together, only to be thrown another hurdle in the shape of his own family. The people Ian never had to worry had his back, the people Ian could always rely on. The frustration the red-head felt came from the fact that he knew the place this was all coming from was a good place, knew it was out of love and not malice, like it had been with the Milkovich horde. His family were trying to protect him but they were too stubborn to realise it wasn't Mickey that was hurting him right now.

"You think that's all Mickey is?" He said softly, no longer trying to win them over, resigned to the fact he probably never will. "He only said all that because it's what you think, what you've been waiting for since the day he moved in. He said exactly what you wanted him to say because he knows it's all you woulda heard anyway… Jesus, you didn't give him a chance did you, not really, from the minute he sat down…" Ian trailed off, not feeling like explaining what he meant, they must know how they treated Mickey, villainized him from the offset… And if they didn't, if they honestly couldn't see it? Well that was too bad. He didn't even try to hide the moisture gathering in his eyes when he spoke again. "Well I'm done! I can't deal with this crap anymore, so as of now I'm moving out!"

"What?" Fiona shouted, rising to her feet as Ian turned to walk away.

"It will take me a while, I'll still add to the squirrel fund, but as of now I'm saving any extra money I get and as soon as I have enough… I'm moving out." He confirmed, voice serious and unquestionable.

"Ian, don't be ridiculous… You have West Point to worry about, school… There's no point moving out now, you'll be packing up and moving on the second you sign the lease." Fiona tried to argue, her voice filled with desperation.

"Then I'll have a place of my own to come back to wont I." He didn't turn around, just spoke with his head down and back to everyone in the kitchen.

"You already do…" Fiona pleaded, trying so hard to think of what else to say, of how to persuade Ian to change his mind.

"You don't want Mickey here," he said back, turning his head but not his body, glancing between Lip and Fiona, who were both staring at him with wide, emotional eyes. "I get it… I do… And I love you for caring so much, I always will… But I need Mickey, I wanna be where he is," He tried to offer a comforting smile but his lips fell short. "And how can he be here, where he'll never be comfortable, never fit in… Never be happy… I need a place of my own because one day he might agree for it to be his as well, this place will never be his… So it can't be mine either." He knew he wasn't being very coherent, knew he was letting emotion drip through his words, but at least his family would be able to see the absolute honesty behind them, they wouldn't be able to argue with that, not even Lip.

Ian turned around again, he didn't raise his eyes from the floor, knowing Mickey had heard every word, unable to look up at him just yet. Fiona moved to follow Ian but Lip gently grabbed her shoulder, Vee stood too and rested her hand on Fi's other shoulder blade, smiling warmly at her, trying to offer comfort. Fiona looked between her eldest brother and her best friend, tears welling up her eyes and falling lazily down her cheek. Her face was screaming for a resolution, wide eyes pleading for someone to tell her what to do, but Lip just shook his head and muttered warmly, "Just give him some time, some space…"

When Ian finally looked up at the blue eyes he couldn't live without, Mickey had stopped pacing. Standing dead still, his body facing the television, arms hanging by his sides. Head angled slightly down with his shoulders hunched, but his face was turned to look straight at Ian, into Ian, wide eyes locked onto his, lips slightly parted and brows furrowed in shock.

"What the hell was that?" Mickey sounded forceful without being angry.

"Mick," Ian said back, arms raised slightly to calm an already calm boy, unsure of what was bubbling away under the surface. "I'm not giving up on West Point, and I'm not giving up my family… But I'm not giving you up either and that's what it would take to stay here." He tried to sound determined but he couldn't hide the panic in his voice when Mickey didn't react. "Look, I'm not asking you to move in with me, not asking for a fucking wedding ring or anything…" Still nothing from Mickey as the younger boy remembered what he'd said to Fiona, 'a place of my own, he might agree for it to be his as well…' Silence. "Jesus Mick, I just meant…"

"When do we start looking?" Mickey said with such conviction that Ian had to do a double take. He hadn't moved a muscle yet somehow his stance looked completely different. There was no smirk on his face, no smugness to his voice… There he was, giving Ian everything he knew the younger boy wanted and all that was written on his face was calmness, happiness even, hell there was a normality there that Mickey was probably freaking out about, at least he would have been a few months ago. All of these emotions that were so clearly displayed in Mickey's haunting blue eyes, the older boy would have once masked with arrogance, with a sarcastic or mocking tone, he would have hid behind a false bravado to cover up the blatant love that now encapsulated him.

Ian didn't think twice, he hurled himself forward and grabbed the back of Mickey's neck, bringing their lips together with a crash. He kissed him hard… again with this feeling of normality. Mickey kissed back immediately… more normality. The kiss didn't have to lead to sex… A surprising, and somewhat teasing, normality. Ian smiled against his lover's lips as he realised just how much he cherished this new normality between. The normality that both boys had once strived for, that always seemed so hard to keep together, was now so natural and easy that neither boy had really noticed they had found it.

"I love you so fucking much." Ian whispered into the smaller boy's mouth. Instantly smiling because he knew the older boy wouldn't run away at his declaration. His smile only grew when the older boy growled against his lips and pulled him ever closer.

"I, fucking, love you too." He said, unfaltering and unafraid. "I really fucking do." His voice was hushed but his statement was bold. Ian didn't need to comment, didn't need to react at all, other than to continue the kiss that was threatening to completely overpower him.

"You're not simple!" Once again their moment was interrupted by Carl's innocent declaration. He stood in the doorway with Hank on one side and Debbie on the other. "You're fucking cool!" Carl expanded with a wide smile. Little Hank agreed with head nod, obviously content that the description need no further elaboration.

"Yeah… You're OK I guess," Debbie added with a smirk and a head nod. "Hurt him and we're gonna have trouble though!" Her voice was full of mirth as she pointed to Ian and raised an eyebrow. She smiled a bright, toothy smile before turning on the spot and marching out the room, and with that all three kids vanished as quickly as they had appeared. A quick "Ow, fucker," from Hank when Carl pushed him into the corner of the washing machine, followed by a "Don't bloody swear," from Debbie and then the living room was once again filled with silence.

"Well at least some of my family like you…" Ian deadpanned, looking sideways at Mickey who was now standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Yeah?" Mickey remarked, "Well I'm pretty sure the baby does too, so that's three of your weird ass siblings on side. Only one of my family 'likes you is Mandy, so that puts me ahead Gallagher." He taunted.

"You're family doesn't even like you." Ian jabbed back, instantly regretting when the words left his mouth. He saw that same look from earlier creep onto Mickey's face and kicked himself for being so stupid, for surrounding Mickey with his own family when Mickey's had just abandoned him.

Then Mickey laughed, a throaty guttural laugh that had Ian instinctively following suit. "Fuck 'em!" Mickey proclaimed, and when Ian looked at him with confusion etched across his face, the ex-con just rolled his eyes and smirked, "Got you ain't I?" He smiled honestly before biting his lip with his teeth and raising his eyebrows.

Ian just smiled back brightly and shook his head. He looked up to the ceiling and let out a short laugh of his own then exhaled a deep breath. He looked back to the kitchen when he heard Debbie telling Carl off again, this time for twisting Hank's arm behind his back. Ian smiled as he said "Thanks for that by the way?"

Mickey scowled half-heartedly, "What for now?" He asked cautiously.

"For letting them see the Mickey I see." Ian said, looking deep into the older boy's blue eyes again, the eyes he often found himself completely lost in.

"Oh…" Mickey laughed, "They don't get to see half of what you see." He continued with a devilish, and very suggestive, smirk.

Ian returned the, hopefully just as seductive, grin and without another word the two boys were out the door and fighting each other down the street with only one destination in mind, the roof, their god damn roof.


	11. Final Decision, Lip's Game

"You really want to up and leave home?" Lip shouted as he darted down the stairs after Ian.

Mickey exhaled, sat on the sofa in the Gallagher living room, he knew where this was going, has seen it building for days, since Ian first announced he wanted out of the Gallagher mansion. So when Lip followed Ian up the stairs, after the red-head had stood up to go to the toilet, avoiding the one in the kitchen for the sole reason that Lip was in their obviously itching for a confrontation, Mickey knew this was going to happen now whether anyone was ready for it to or not.

"I want a place where Mickey can be at home!" Ian shot back, Mickey could only assume that he missed the beginning of this conversation because Lip just rolled his eyes like they were still going round in circles.

In all honesty though, Mickey may have been beyond happy that Ian was so invested in them but a part of him still agreed with Lip, and Fiona, and Vee and Kev and everyone else. He was petrified that Ian was rushing into this for his benefit and he didn't want the red-head to end up resenting him for tearing him away from his family when he wasn't really ready to leave, and to tell the truth, Mickey didn't think Ian was ready, he knew how much his green eyed lover would miss this rabble of a household. He also knew that Ian was scared the older Gallagher's animosity toward him was going to push the ex-con away and he's tried to show the younger boy that that isn't even close to the truth but Ian is stubborn and once an idea is in his head it cannot be taken away from him. His determination, it seems, is only paralleled by his stupidity, because the red-head hasn't even thought of the downside to such a big step. He hasn't considered what will happen if he can't deal with Mickey alone, without the distraction of his family. Mickey has, he's thought through every scenario and he honestly believes there is nothing that Ian could do that he hasn't accounted for, no habit he doesn't already know about, and no quirk that he doesn't already love. And in none of Mickey's scenarios does he regret living with the boy he loves, but he doesn't know if Ian will be able to say the same.

So he decides to speak up, decides to tell the kid the harsh reality of the bad choice he's about to make, only he can't bring himself to think of it as a bad choice because the idea of him and Ian alone in a place of their own cannot possible be a bad thing in Mickey's mind. Him staying in a place surrounded by people who don't trust or accept him – well Mickey can concede that is a bad idea. Except in this case, because those people are Ian's family and Mickey would move mountains to make it work there if it meant being close to a happy red-head. His reasons for being willing to stay are smart, they are genuine and well thought out. Ian's reasons for wanting to leave are not, they are naïve and ill advised. On top of that they are selfless, solely for Mickey's benefit and that just spells trouble for down the line when Mickey can't make the same sacrifice for him. The ex-con won't be able to change Ian's mind, but maybe he can stop his reasoning.

"What the fuck do you think is home for me, Gallagher?" Mickey yelled before Lip could say anything back to his brother. He turned as he rose from the sofa and looked Ian straight in the eye, raising his arms in question. "Let's forget for a second just how damn stupid a reason that is… You think I want a home? You know what home means to me? Fuck all… You think the fucking Milkovich house was a happy home? Fuck no!" Mickey paused to gauge Ian's reaction, the younger boy's furrowed brows revealed his shock and anger, but he was still listening intently so Mickey continued. "This place?" he said, swiveling on the spot to gesture around the Gallagher abode. "Ian, this place is yours, I mean, your fat fuck of a cousin owns it but it's your house. It's the fucking Gallagher house, and you can pretend you don't care all you want but you love it here. It's your god damn home. The Milkovich house was a shit tip, through and fucking through. There were no god damn dinner parties, thank fuck, 'cause the Milkovich's couldn't even fucking pretend to do civilized. There was no family bonding or shit like that, there was fighting, swearing, drinking… A shit tonne of yelling. The place was a fucking prison, avoiding Terry when he was drunk, avoiding Terry when he was high, avoiding Terry when he was pissed off - which was fucking all the time. That's home to me… I ain't looking for another fucking home, I already had one and it sucked, don't need a replacement." Mickey announced firmly, his tone a strange mixture of harsh and tender, because he wanted to show Ian that what he wanted to offer Mickey was not what the ex-con needed, not what he wanted even, but he needed the red-head to know that he was grateful for the gesture all the same.

"That isn't home Mickey." Ian protested, his anger getting lost behind a wave of longing. He didn't feel pity for Mickey because he knew the older boy didn't need or want it. But he was desperate to show his lover the happiness that a home could bring, the stability. "Home is the place you feel safe, the place you never really want to leave and if you do leave – the place you want to miss and come back to. You've never had a home, not really." Ian pleaded.

And that was too much, because Mickey realised the underlying bullshit of what he said before. Sure, the Milkovich house was far from perfect but Mickey hated the thought of not having a home because, he realised, he never felt like that growing up. He never felt like he had no place to go. Sure he didn't want to be at home half the time but he never felt like he had nothing, like he had no one and it was unfair to those he did have to suggest otherwise. And suddenly, he felt guilty, like he was undermining his sister, his brothers, who'd shared his childhood with him and who'd given him worth.

"Fuck you, Gallagher, I don't need fucking saving or some shit. I know what home is meant to be, but I also know what it is for me." Mickey slowly rounded the couch as he spoke, eyes fixed on Ian's and hands emoting his words without him even realising. "The Milkovich house was a dump, a fucking cess pit at best. But it was all I fucking knew and I fitted there. You think I fit here?" He asked honestly, "With your family?" They both knew the answer to that but Ian needed to know that it went further than just this house. "You think I'm gonna fit in a cosy fucking apartment for two?" He asked with even more gravity. "No, I'm a Milkovich. I fitted there and I woulda fucking died to protect it because it was a dump and it was a fucking nightmare… But it was mine, and it was my fucking brothers and Mandy's and I would kill for them. I know what you lot think, that we're all just a waste of fucking space. No good pieces of shit… and you think that I was what? Just some fucking shell, some mini Terry, living there but the fucked up part of it all is that for all the shit that went down in that god forsaken hell hole, I remember the good shit just as much." Because Mickey had been right about not needing a new home, but not because he hated the idea of home but because he already had one that, despite the shit that went with it, he wouldn't change.

"So no…" He continued, "I didn't have your sorta home, I had my own. Instead of fucking cuddles and comfort, I had fighting and bitching… Instead of smiles and all that hippy, togetherness bullshit, I had a battlefield and a 'do it your fucking self' attitude. But I had a family too, Gallagher, my brothers were there, Mandy was there, and screw Terry because they were who mattered, we fought the fucking world together because that's what Milkovich siblings did, had to do. No, the Gallagher mansion will never be my home, but neither will whatever shitty apartment we can afford on your crappy wages and my damn drug money. And I wouldn't want either of 'em to be because I know what hand I got dealt and I'm good with it, fuck it, I'm proud of it… I already have a home Gallagher, and so do you and you love it here more than you could ever like living in some crummy little place with me." Mickey slammed his point home because he needed to make sure there was no confusion as to what he was saying. Standing directly in front of his Gallagher, close enough to feel his breath brushing over his face, Mickey was filled with a determination that even Ian's stubbornness couldn't match.

"I know…" Ian said, resigned but not deflated. Like none of that mattered anyway. He took the small step to close the gap between him and his lover and leaned forward, their foreheads pressed together as Ian raised his hands to cup Mickey's face. "I know," he said again with a smile on his lips.

"Ian…" Lip spoke soothingly, almost as if to comfort his younger brother, who he assumed had now seen sense and was going to stay. But Ian waved a hand to silence him, he didn't need comfort and he hadn't changed his mind.

Because once again, Ian sees things differently to his lover. Mickey sees Ian's motives as selfless, as a way to save the older boys wounded soul or some shit. But that's not what it is, Ian's motivation is completely selfish, and simple – he wants Mickey to himself, he wants Mickey by his side all of the time. All that absence makes the heart grow fonder crap can go to hell because Ian's sick of waiting, of missing Mickey, they did all of that for too long and now he just wants the forever to start. The 'together forever' bullshit that follows the whole 'if you love something set it free, and if it comes back it's meant to be' shit because him and Mickey did come back. They clawed their way back to each other and now he wants their lives to be obstacle free, disruption free. He knows Mickey see this as a sacrifice, one that he doesn't think he'll be able to return. But Ian knows different. Because Mickey already made a bigger sacrifice, he chose Ian over his family, he lost everything he'd been taught to fight for since birth and he gave it all up for Ian. His father, his brothers, his fucked up home… But Ian's not sacrificing anything because he knows his family, this house, will still be there for him no matter where he goes. He's not giving up anything, he's doing this to gain Mickey.

"I know all that Mick." He said softly, closing his eyes against Mickey's head. "I know what you are, you're forgetting that I've seen the real you, every fucking inch of it. I'm still here though because I love that you're a Milkovich, I love that you're fiercely loyal, even to people who don't deserve it." The words 'like your brothers who gave up on you as soon as they found out who you really are, even though what you are is nothing to be ashamed of' never left his lips but they certainly crossed his mind. "I love that you're stronger than anyone I have ever met, that I can't imagine the shit you've been through but that I'm not scared of it because you're too damn stubborn to let it beat you." He opened his eyes to see Mickey still staring at him with a look of complete devotion. "I love that everyone else thinks you're a piece of shit because it means I'm the one who gets to know the truth, the only one. I'm the one you chose to let in…" Ian pulled away from Mickey and stood tall, hands hanging by his waist and eyes returning Mickey's glare proudly.

"I don't wanna replace your fucking childhood Mickey," he proclaimed honestly, a humour to the words that let Mickey know he wasn't offended that he couldn't. "Or to shower you with affection and shit, wrap you in a blanket to heal old scars. I love your fucking scars. And you're right, a shitty apartment will never replace this house, my home, I don't want it to either because I'm proud of where I grew up. But I don't need to be babied either, I don't need these walls as protection anymore Mick. I don't need home anymore, I need space of my own, I need to fucking live outside of this house, this safety bubble. I wanna do that with you because, honestly, you're the reason I don't need it anymore. I love this place, I do, but I love you too and I want to figure us out now, I already know what the Gallagher house is, what it's gonna be for as long as I live, what I want now is to live with you and find out what that means, what that entails. And I get that we're gonna argue at first, and have to get used to each other properly but I know everything about you already and I wouldn't change a thing. I know you're gonna use the last of the god damn toilet roll and not replace it…" Ian grinned and Mickey laughed. "I know you're gonna hog the covers when it's cold and push them onto me when it's too hot… And you'll do the dishes, maybe, but only the ones in the sink, you'll always 'forget' to look around the place for anything else that might need washing. You'll leave lights on when you've left the room and screw the tops back on bottles too tight. You'll stomp mud into the carpet and put your dirty shoes up onto the couch and you'll blame me for losing shit you've forgotten where you put down." He continued with a smile, missing out the fact that when it's cold Mickey always wraps a warming arm around Ian's stomach and the red-head forgets all about needing blankets, or that he's actually really anal about wasting money so for every light he leaves on he'll save twice that amount by going round after Ian and turning off the shower, or the heaters, when the red-head forgets to. "I'm not stupid Mick, I don't expect sunshine and fucking rainbows the whole time. And I'm OK with that, I really am." 

Mickey smiled at that because the red-head had thought it through, yeah he was probably still completely romanticizing it in his head, and it's definitely going to be a shock to his system when it actually happens. But Ian's right, just like Mickey knows all of Ian's characteristics already, so Ian knows Mickeys. He knows the good, the bad, the ugly and the weird.

"I mean, I'm not going to push ya Mick, if you're not ready… I mean, if you're scared…?" Ian teased, smirking when the older boy tilted his head and scoffed.

"Really, you're gonna try manipulate me, reverse psychology and all that psychobabble bullshit?" He retorted with an amused grin.

"It working?" Ian asked cockily, raising his eyebrows and failing to properly mask his own beaming smile, he already knew the answer.

"I'm not cleaning up your shit, hell you'll be lucky if I clean up my own. No fucking flowers in the place and I'm bringing my god damn gun." He ordered with a softness to his voice that betrayed the fact that his list of rules had been shortened in favour of compromise. Despite what he'd said about never being home, Mickey knew that a shitty little apartment with Gallagher was the only place he wanted to live right now, only place he'd ever want to be. Yeah the Milkovich house was an irreplaceable part of his past, a past that Mickey couldn't ever bring himself to hate, but Gallagher was his future, one he couldn't wait to start.

"Deal!" Ian shouted victoriously, mentally coming up with his own list of regulations he fully intended to try and make the Milkovich boy at least think about pretending to follow.

"I get it." Lip said from behind the two boys, both having forgotten he was even there. "I know you won't believe me because I've kinda been saying I get it and then like 5 seconds later, turning on you two again… But I do, I get it." Lip smiled genuinely at his brother before turning to the boy who he wanted to hate for stealing him away. "I can't really threaten you Mickey, can't really say anything like "Break his heart and I'll break your face," because we both know how it would end if I tried, but he's my brother and I love him so please, just take care of him OK? He's not exactly delicate," He said with a smirk, playfully grabbing at his younger brothers larger frame before Ian could push him off, "But it's still my job to worry about him." He finished, an honesty in his eyes that Mickey immediately related to, because he knew what being a brother meant.

Mickey could have said something sarcastic, something quick witted and macho, or he could have gone with a half-truth, an honest comment hidden by a veil of humour or ego. "I'm too selfish to hurt him," was what the older boy settled on, because it was true. The situation they were in wasn't about one boy being able to hurt the other, it was about their pain being shared, if one got hit they both bled, if one was hurting they were both fighting back tears. Mickey didn't want to hurt Ian because the only way he could inflict the sort of hurt that Lip was talking about was to break Ian's heart, to leave him, to walk away. Mickey couldn't walk away because to hurt Ian like that would be to kill himself and Mickey wasn't suicidal. Both Ian and Mickey were far too selfish at this point, to even consider walking away because they loved each other and they weren't prepared to lose the thing that kept them feeling alive and untouchable.

Lip nodded and turned back to Ian, reaching out and pulling the younger boy into a tight hug.

"Ummm," Ian choked out, gasping for breath as he tried to pry his brother off of him, "You know I'm not actually leaving yet Lip, gotta actually find a place first".

"Yep." Lip said, frozen in the hug as he mentally did the math on just how long it would probably take Ian and Mickey to save enough money to actually move, and then find a place they were willing to even attempt to make live-able. Lip released his grip with huff of mock disgust at the public intimacy, shoving Ian away lightly before dusting himself off and coughing as virile a cough as he could muster.

"Yeah have fun with that." Lip proclaimed happily, enjoying the thought of having his bigger little brother close for a while longer yet.

"Yeah, might take a while, guess the first step is to start actually earning more money, so if you have anything in the works," Ian asked, turning to Lip and looking directly into his eyes, trying to convey just how serious he was. "I want in."

"What happened to avoiding all things criminal, can't get into West Point with a record." Lip stated matter-of-factly.

"Lip, come on, I'm not talking armed robbery here, I just wanna make more than a couple of bucks an hour or it's gonna take years till I've saved enough." The red-head protested back.

"So…" Mickey interrupted proudly, "Would now be a good time to tell you that I got a job?" Mickey beamed, "Or should I wait till you two have finished bickering?"

"You what… how… when?" Ian fluttered out rapidly, trying to remember a time in the last few weeks that he wasn't by the Milkovich boy's side. 

Mickey just laughed a triumphant laugh and smirked his own shit eating grin, simplicity of it was – Ian didn't know because Mickey didn't want Ian to know, not until it was concrete anyway. The ex-con crossed his arms over his puffed out chest and decided to put a puzzled Ian out of his misery. "Well," he started patronizingly, leaning forward and smirking at Ian's aggravated stance. "The other day when you refused to skip that fucking maths test that was just so god damn important for your future," Mickey spat out with mock sarcasm, truth was he was intrigued by and somewhat proud of Ian's unfaltering determination. "Well turns out I did do something useful with my day."

Ian's face softened at the memory of the jibe he had dished out to his favourite ex-con when Mickey had huffed out a disgruntled "well what the fuck am I supposed to do for a whole fucking day?" as the younger boy marched out the front door with his back pack slung over his shoulder.

"You got a job?" Lip quizzed with only half the pessimism that Mickey had expected from him.

"I fucking said so didn't I," he blasted back with less than half the hostility that Lip had expected.

"Well don't keep us in suspense Mickey, do tell…" Lip replied, leaning down and gesturing his hand in a mock salute, a theatrical way of saying that Mickey had the floor.

"Ha, fuck you," Mickey blasted back, his gloating grin not leaving his face. The ex-con turned to his favourite red-head and finally expanded. "Ya know Matty? The lanky prick who owns the garage down on 63rd street? Well he owed me a favour and he's shit scared of my dad, so between the favour and the blackmail," he explained nonchalantly, like blackmail was as natural as a morning greeting, "I got me a job."

"You the cleaner?" Lip smirked, "Or better yet… the receptionist?" He was all but bouncing with excitement at the thought of Mickey doing menial work for little pay, knowing how much it would piss the older boy off.

"Hi-larious," Mickey deadpanned.

"Seriously Mick," Ian smiled, his pride almost devouring him as he stood, staring deep into his lover's eyes, the blue orbs that hadn't left his even when Lip had made his snarky remark and Mickey answered him. "You're a mechanic?" He smirked and raised an eyebrow, the idea of being able to give his favourite thug a title made the younger boy more than a little bit excitable it seemed.

Lip snorted again, obviously still unconvinced by Mickey's sudden development of skills beyond drug taking and dealing.

"Fuck you!" Mickey scoffed, still not turning away from Ian. "I can fix fucking anything, even that pile of junk in your back yard if the price was right." He smiled cockily as Ian rolled his eyes.

"You know you can't just kick cars to make them work again, right?" Lip asked all too seriously for Mickey's liking.

"Shit, now you fucking tell me…" He responded blankly, his smile only returning when Ian moved back into view and he saw the younger boy's bright green eyes reflecting the smile that hadn't faltered since Mickey first began to explain. He shook his head and bit his bottom lip before sighing and carrying on with his explanation. "My mum was fucking him," he blurted out with no emotion behind the words, just cold hard fact, "She'd say she was taking me the doctors, or the dentist, or the fucking hairdresser, some shit to get out of the house, then she'd leave me at the garage while her and Matty fucked off to his place." He scanned his lover's face before turning to see the smirk wiped off of Lips. "There was a guy who worked there, Danny, fucker was built like a brick shit house, muscles bigger than his brains even though the son of a bitch was like 70. Good mechanic though, felt sorry for me I guess, taught me how to fix cars like it was fucking second nature," Mickey paused to smile at the memory of Danny smashing a customer's cars window just so he could show him how to change it, before realising that he'd have to order in a new windshield. When the couple came by later to pick up their car and Matty pitched a fit at being called away from his booty call to deal with the angry pair, Danny had refused to let Mickey take the blame so Mickey did the only thing he could think of. He smashed another of the cars windows and ripped the wing mirrors off, shouting the whole time that he fucking hated Mercedes and only fucking ponse's owned cars that were bigger than some people's houses. Matty couldn't bring himself to ban Mickey from the garage because no Mickey meant no Mickey's mum so when the young miscreant returned the next day, Danny had lined up a set of tools for Mickey to keep, he couldn't take them home obviously but they were stored at the garage for Mickey to use whenever he could get away from the Milkovich house and come and practice his new skills. "Taught me how to fight too, and how destroy evidence and shit."

"Sounds like a real inspiration." Ian said with a smile.

"Yeah," Mickey laughed, nodding along with the memories that still swirled around his mind. "Fucker got sent down for some robbery his piece of shit son ballsed up, died in prison protecting another young sap from becoming some guys bitch."

Silence seemed to echo through the house as neither Gallagher boy wanted to speak and Mickey stayed lost in his thoughts. Eventually though the ex-con shook himself back to reality and looked straight back into Ian's eyes, hopefully finding the comfort there that the younger boy tried to offer.

"Anyway, I kept my mouth shut about the affair, gave some guy a beat down who threatened to take Matty to court over some faulty fucking breaks and helped him out with some non-paying customers, even convinced his workers not to go on strike once when he docked their wages so he could take a trip to Vegas. So the fucker owes me, took me on." Mickey said quickly, firmly, not really feeling the need to explain, but for some reason wanting to.

"Just like that?" Lip asked, ever the optimist when it came to Mickey. Ian scowled at his brother as Mickey breathed out a deep breath.

"No," he exclaimed tiredly. "Matty's a fucking coward and he's terrified of Terry, so we got an arrangement. Terry doesn't find out he's helping me, doesn't find out he screwed his wife and conned him out of money for car repairs he didn't actually do. In exchange, I get a regular pay check, full time wage without the 9-5 daily fucking routine."

"So he's paying you not to work, he's effectively paying you to keep your mouth shut?" The older Gallagher boy quipped back.

"Jesus Christ man, I thought you were a genius. I said I wouldn't be doing 9-5, I didn't say I wouldn't be fucking working. I got Danny's old set of keys, can let myself into the garage whenever the fuck I want, he gives me a list of cars that need fixing and so long as I do them all on time I get the full pay check." Mickey begrudgingly explained, bored of the conversation now that the initial buzz of one upping everyone else had worn off.

"So you could do one hour a week and so long as all the cars you had to fix were fixed… you'd get paid for the full 9-5, 5 days a week thing?" Ian asked, voice erupting with pride at Mickey's ability to con himself into a job.

"Uh huh," He replied, "And so long as none of the other workers find out, I got the job for the foreseeable future." Mickey smiled again at his red-head before jumping on the spot at the sudden memory of something. "Oh and its cash in hand so no fucking tax."

"So not strictly legal then." Lip interjected, but it wasn't judgement in his voice then, the genius was impressed. He smiled at the ex-con and nodded his head approvingly.

"Best jobs never are." Mickey said back, with a smirk of his own. "So," Mickey shouted with a clap of his hands that made Lip jump and Ian refocus his gaze back toward the ex-con as they both turned their heads to face each other again. "When do we start looking?" He asked with a smile, for the second time.

The grin currently splitting Ian's face in two should not have been so god damn addictive, but Mickey couldn't help but love it, love that he was the reason for it. Lip seemed to finally get that too, he finally understood that it wasn't a fluke, a coincidence that Ian only smiled that way around Mickey, that the ex-con wasn't going to break that smile, he was going to keep adding to it. Because the brighter Ian's smile got the bigger and more genuine Mickey's grew to mirror it. Lip understood now that neither boy were in danger, and at the same time both of them were because although Ian and Mickey would fight for this thing between them with everything they had, if it did somehow end then the loss would destroy them both. And maybe that should worry Lip, the fact that he can see his brother's attachment to, his dependence on, the older boy, shining like a beacon between them, getting stronger with every passing second, but it didn't. He wasn't worried in the slightest, because there was a reason he had been taught to always steer clear of the Milkovich's, to fear Mickey above the rest. Because Mickey was unpredictable, borderline psychotic, he was rough and hardened and god damn scary sometimes, so if anyone could protect Ian then it was him.

This time, when Ian launched himself forward into the, almost waiting, arms of his lover and pressed their lips together in a kiss that should have been painful, a battle of strength that neither boy seemed to want to win, both too addicted to the feeling of the fight. When his little brother propelled himself into a lust filled embrace with a thug that Lip didn't know how not to be intimidated by yet, he didn't scoff or retreat, he didn't scowl or judge. Lip just smiled and laughed to himself at the thought of the big bad wolf that was Mickey Milkovich being tamed by his little brother. And when Mickey broke the embrace to turn to Lip and scowl, when he pulled his arm back and punched Lip square on the jaw, with maybe just a little less force than he could have done, Lip remembered what Mandy and Ian had told him about Mickey. About how observant he is when no one thinks he's even paying attention, how well he can read people, how he seems to know what you're thinking before you can even fully form the thought and Lip smiled again, laughed quieter this time because maybe Mickey hadn't been tamed after all. Maybe it was just Ian that got a free pass, but the feet didn't seem any less miraculous to Lip and in that moment he was proud of Ian for it.

"So," he said, clapping his hands to mimic Mickey's earlier action, slightly riled when it didn't have the same impact, and in fact Mickey and Ian barely acknowledged him at all. "I still got a load of the flyers the estate agent gave me and Fiona when we thought Patrick was gonna kick us out of this place," he stated, voice trying to convey how genuinely he wanted to help. "I know you don't need a place as big as we were looking for but the agent was a dick and chucked in a load of info about apartment buildings and shit 'cause he figured we were broke."

Lip sounded annoyed at the assumption so Ian laughed and pointed out that they were broke, to which Lip just shrugged and said the guy was still a prick and offered Mickey his address if he wanted to go defend Ian's honour, an act that earned him another punch – although this time his attacker didn't hold back, the punch was full force to the arm, the punch thrower – Ian.

"You two done?" Mickey asked calmly as Ian dodged Lip's retaliatory blow. "Come on, we got shit to do."

And with that Ian was back by Mickey's side and the two walked to the front door of the Gallagher house, pushing and shoving like excitable kids who've just been given money to spend at a fair and can't wait to get there. Lip stared awkwardly for a few seconds, not knowing whether he was welcome to intrude if this was supposed to be their thing or something, so he shuffled his feet and clicked his tongue, looking around for something else to grab his attention.

"You fucking coming or not?" Mickey called from the other side of the front door and Ian laughed at Mickey's idea of a welcoming invitation. Lip, however, didn't expect any different and didn't hesitate to turn on his heal and sprint after his brother and his brother's lover, the three boys walking down the road, seemingly as normal as anyone else on the streets of South Side, Chicago.


	12. The Monica Returns

"What the hell's with him?" Kev asked, motioning with his thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward a very forlorn looking Ian, slumped gracelessly at the bar with his head in his arms, sighing dramatically at regular intervals.

"He's bored." Lip replied with an amused shrug.

"He not tied to Mickey's side today?" Kev questioned back, voice layered with both humour and concern.

"Nah, Mickey started his new job today. He was supposed to finish at nine so Ian told him to come here, was gonna buy him a drink to celebrate or something." Lip smiled as he walked toward his disgruntled brother.

"Oh give me a break…" Kev all but yelled, throwing his hands up in question, "Can you two at least pretend I'm trying to run a legal business here, that doesn't involve, ya know, selling booze to my underage neighbours and their new boy toy…" The bartender stopped mid-sentence and lifted his eyebrows in thought… "No, ya know what, Mickey's fine, he would pass for legal… Or beat the shit out of the guy who questioned him… But did you two at least bring some decent ID to show me?" He looked between the brothers, Lip with his ever present smirk as he shook his head and reached for his wallet, Ian with his 'you really don't wanna mess with me right now snarl'. Lip showed him his fake ID, at which Kev just frowned because not only did it not look like Lip in any way shape or form, apparently he was also Spanish now, and 43. "Besides," he said, turning his attention back to Ian, after deciding to forego the whole ID debacle in favour of a more stress free shift, "It's what? Two minutes past?".

"It's fucking ten past!" Ian protested, shooting his head up from its resting place and glaring between Kev and Lip again.

"Yeah," Lip said softly, trying to appease his brother by raising his arms in surrender before the battle could even begin. "But he still has to actually get here after he finishes…" He flashed his brother an honest smile before shrugging and laughing to himself. "Or he could have fancied a quick fuck with one of his new, greased up, bad boy work mates before coming home to good old Ian Gallagher…" He added with a devilish smirk.

Ian darted from his spot and propelled himself at his shit head brother, Kev threw his hands up in a half assed protest and shouted to the two boys that they were paying for any breakages. He yelled louder when the first glass crashed to the floor, but by the third he just shook his head and took some money out of the till to put in the 'Replacing Gallagher Breakages Fund' jar placed on the bottom shelf under the bar. The jar was almost full, one of many scattered along the shelf, all with different names printed across the front of them, and all people Kev knew better than to expect any payment from. To be fair, 99% of the Gallagher jars debt was, unapologetically, run up by Frank and the other 1% he really wasn't that bothered by, I mean – what's a few glasses compared to the price of replacing the sink faucet that Kev had managed to break in the Gallagher house by getting drunk and trying to prove he was a real man by doing some good old fashioned DIY. Surprisingly the Gallagher damage list wasn't the longest, the Milkovich's tab was almost double it and unsurprisingly the jar it was attached to was empty. Kev hadn't even let the Milkovich's know they had a jar, preferring not to be the thing they next damaged, and he sure as hell wasn't paying off the debts with the bars takings, the business would go bust in a week. He kept telling himself that one day he would ask one of the saner, if there were any, members of the family for any contribution, or that he'd just subtly overcharge them for their drinks, but he knew those days would probably never come. Besides, the latter wouldn't make a difference because the amount of drinks Terry actually got round to paying for was less than Frank.

"Good old dependable… Nice guy… Boy next door… Kinda a pushover… Ian… Gentle giant… Gallagher!" Lip laughed between dodging Ian's attacks, the red-head had him pinned to the floor with his knees on his arms and his hands battling his older brother's wrists to stay still.

"Yeah, thinking about it, you don't really seem like Mickey's type…" Kev drawled out helpfully, much to Lip's amusement and Ian's chagrin. Kev was smiling from ear to ear as he laughed at his own joke.

"Nice guy my ass… Fucker bit me yesterday 'cause I wouldn't take my damn boots off, actually fucking bit me..." Mickey said with a snort and a smile as he walked into the Alibi lighting a cigarette, uncaring about the public location because the bar was pretty dead and the few patrons in there were transfixed on either their booze or the football match on the TV Kev had once again just replaced, Mickey having stolen it then sold it to the older man without so much as a 'friends of the boy he's fucking (loves) discount. "And you think he's gentle?" He questioned, pocketing the lighter and exhaling a puff of smoke, "You haven't seen him…"

"Alright!" Ian shouted as he got up and jogged towards Mickey, taking the cigarette out of his hands and trying to fight the smile that threatened to encapsulate his face just by being in such close proximity to his favourite thug again.

"What?" Mickey laughed, "Was just gonna say how fucking vicious you can be when we're…"

"Mickey!" Ian protested as both Kev and Lip made pleading 'please stop, no more' faces at the Milkovich boy.

"Fighting!" Mickey shouted back with a smirk, "I was gonna say fighting," he elaborated. "I meant Fucking but I was gonna say fighting."

"Asshole," Ian smiled as Mickey snatched the cigarette back and marched toward the bar. "And…" He called after the ex-con matter-of-factly, "Excuse me for not wanting boots digging into my fucking back while we were fighting." He said fighting, he meant fucking, but he said fighting. Kev and Lip groaned at the imagery and moved away from the two boys before anything else could be said and their innocence further corrupted. 

"We were outside, Firecrotch, why the fuck would I take my shoes off." Mickey snorted back, hushed and private, another quiet moment of light heartedness between the two boys. Ian laughed as he sat next to his Milkovich and watched both Kev and Lip assess the situation to see if it was safe for them to approach again.

"Thank god you're back man," Lip announced as he sat down next to Ian, "He's been pining all fucking day, like a little lost puppy."

"Ha," Mickey snorted as Ian jabbed his brother in the ribs.

"I was not fucking pining, I was bored shitless and I'm sorry Lip," He turned his attention to his smug looking brother, "But I couldn't sit and listen to another fucking second of you pining over Karen like she's worth a damn, it's just pathetic man." He shook his head mockingly and could tell by the way that Lip continued to smirk that the older boy wasn't insulted.

Lip just lit up his own cigarette and looked up to Kev expectantly. "So, what can I get ya?" The bartender inquired. "I presume you all have valid IDs to show me?" He shouted slightly louder, making a show of looking around the room as if to highlight to everyone present that he was indeed abiding by the law.

Lip got his back out and handed it over with a smile and a head nod. Ian hadn't brought any ID with him so just handed over his library card, Kev made a show of looking over both cards and pretended to add up dates in his head, then he dramatically nodded and handed the cards back. When he looked at Mickey and the ex-con just returned his gaze and smiled a sarcastic smile, Kev just nodded and laughed slightly uneasily. "That's OK Mr Milkovich, I know how old you are, please put your driving licence away."

Mickey rolled his eyes as Ian shook his head and Lip snorted out an amused chuckle, and with that, Kev turned and got the boys each a beer and sat down behind the bar opposite them. "You guys will be the death of me," he said, only half joking.

 

-x-

 

"Well if it isn't my brother from the same mother!" Mandy hollered as she flounced into the bar and sauntered over to Mickey. She flung her arms around his shoulders as she made a grab for his beer, but Mickey shook her off and slapped her hand away as she moved to sit on the bar stool next to him.

"Ahem," Kev fake coughed, now standing in front of her, "ID?" He questioned when she just looked at him with confusion.

"For a coke?" She remarked and the bartender rolled his eyes before turning to get her drink.

"You gotta come now!" Debbie yelled not even a minute later, as she ran into the Alibi room and hurled herself towards her brothers.

"What's going on Deb's?" Ian asked immediately, smile transforming into a concerned gaze as he noticed his sisters tear reddened eyes.

"She's back again… Monica." Carl said from the bar's front doorway, the usual elation on the boys features now hidden being a somber frown.

"Frank's at the house trying to talk to her but she's just locked herself in the downstairs bathroom and Fiona can't get either of them to leave." Debbie was frantically tugging on Lip and Ian's jackets, willing them to stop asking questions and just follow her home. With no hesitation both boys stood and followed, Mickey behind them and Mandy behind him.

"Kate, you got this?" Kev asked, motioning to the bar as he put down the glass he was drying and reached for his coat under the bar. After a faint smile and a confident nod from his employee, Kev turned and made for the door.

 

-x-

 

"I'm not going anywhere until you get out here and talk to me!" Frank shouted sternly, he was still pounding his fists randomly against the bathroom door and ignoring the frequent wails and cries coming from the woman on the other side of it. "I'm your husband, for better or worse… I gave you everything… I gave you my best years, and all you can do is leave me… Time and time again, and here I am just trying to talk to you and what do I get… A god damn door shut in my face…"

Fiona was now sat in the living room with Liam, trying to distract him from Franks latest rant, making faces and mumbling encouragement at her younger siblings attempts at colouring in between the lines of a picture Debbie had found for him earlier.

"Calm the fuck down Frank, we can hear you from down the street." Lip exclaimed forcefully as he flung open the door to the kitchen and charged into the house. He walked straight passed his father and into the living room, sat down by his sister as she rested her head in her hands and turned her face to look at him. Lip reached up and rested his hand on her shoulder as he smiled comfortingly, then turned to watch Ian enter the living room and sit in the chair next to them.

"What happened?" Ian asked his sister with open, but fed up eyes, the three eldest Gallagher siblings sick and tired of the constant cycle of bullshit that surrounded their parents.

"She just turned up…" Fiona announced, holding her arms in the air and shaking her head in dismay, a tear threatening to fall down her porcelain like cheek. "Frank was here when she walked in, they been in there ever since," she continued, pointing irritably at the scene in the kitchen.

"We came and got you the minute she turned up," Debbie offered from her place next to Carl, both children stood in the doorway between the rooms, looking desperate and uneasy.

"Alright, we'll figure this out." Lip offered gently, smiling at his younger siblings before turning to Fiona and rubbing the spot where his hand still lay on her shoulder.

"I am not going anywhere Monica, so you might as well save us all the hassle and come out of the damn toilet!" Frank shouted again suddenly, making Debbie jump and Carl turn around with a frown. "I'm going to count down from five!"

Lip and Ian both stood and ushered their younger siblings further into the living room, Fiona joining the two boys as they strode toward the kitchen.

"Five!" Frank shouted with a thump to the door.

The eldest Gallagher children made their way through the arched doorway and took position by the island counter in the middle of the kitchen.

"Four…" Frank persisted.

Ian shook his head and rolled his eyes, bringing a hand down his face as Lip leaned his elbows on the counter top and rested his head in his hands, eyes filled with disdain as he looked toward the scene in front of him. Fiona stood behind her brothers and crossed her arms over her chest, gearing herself up for another battle to get rid of her unwanted house guests.

"Three!" Frank yelled louder than before, fists clenched angrily at his sides.

"What the fuck you gonna do when you get to one Frank?" Mickey asked scornfully as he swung the door open and entered the kitchen. "Look," he said, turning to Ian, "I know you said wait outside but this shit is ridiculous." He explained, motioning with his hands toward the oldest man in the room and the door he was talking to. "Hey Frank, why don't you do us all a favour and shut the fuck up for a second?"

Frank quickly turned to watch the young Milkovich, obviously trying to figure out if he was in danger, when Mickey didn't move any closer to him Frank just snorted and returned his glare to the wooden door of the bathroom.

"This is between me and my wife!" He yelled with less force than he intended, not looking back to see how Mickey would react.

"Yeah and the rest of the god damn neighbourhood. Giving me a fucking head ache old man." Mickey dead panned, flicking his eyes between the train wreck in front of him and his kids littered between the kitchen and living room, all staring wide eyed and pleading.

"This has nothing to do with you Mickey… Now I'm asking nicely… So would you mind awfully, just backing off while I try talk some sense into the woman to whom I am married?" Frank only briefly turned to face Mickey as he gestured with his hand toward the door, then he turned back around and refocused his efforts on talking to the woman who was trying so hard to block him out.

"Jesus Frank, she doesn't wanna fucking talk to you so just leave and let us figure out why the hell she's back at all." Ian sighed out in frustration, straightening his posture as he spoke, subconsciously maybe, to try and intimidate the man in front of him to avoid another drawn out confrontation.

Frank growled with menace as he spun on his foot and turned to face the bastard child of the woman he loved, he eyed the young man carefully and sneered before moving forward. Anger spilling out of him as he forgot just how strong Ian was now and just remembered the boy who encapsulated, to him, when his wife got bored and started screwing around. The boy who was now trying to stand between him and said wife talking this shit through.

Frank hadn't even made it two steps towards the red head before Mickey had him in an arm-lock, pushed up against the kitchen table with pain shooting down his spine and his mind struggling to keep up.

"Here's what you're gonna do," Mickey snarled ferociously into the older man's ear, "When I let go, you're gonna stand the fuck up, straighten yourself out, turn the hell around and walk straight out of the god damn door. You got that Frank?"

When the Gallagher patriarch didn't respond with words, just tried to struggle out of Mickey's grip, the ex-con pushed harder against him and continued. "Cause if you don't then I'm gonna do something I've been itching to do for… Fuck… The whole time I've fucking known you." Frank squirmed again, eyes pleading with his children for help, but no one moved to pull Mickey off so he just growled again and continued. "See, Gallagher over there," he said, lifting Franks head so he was once again looking at his kids, "That's Ian to you, Firecrotch to me," he smirked. "Well once upon a time he begged me not to hurt you, fucking made me promise not to do anything stupid like kick your ass into next week and get mine thrown back into juvie." He accentuated the statement with a sharp tug on the man's trapped arm, eliciting a pained hiss from him as he did so.

"Well I figure that promise is void now, what with what happened the last time you two were in a fucking room together," Mickey smiled as he felt Frank flinch at the memory of Ian overpowering him in every way. "So you give me one fucking excuse, one god damn reason no matter how small and I promise I will break you into pieces so fucking small that not even god himself could put you back together… You understand me?" He asked sinisterly, pausing between statements to give Frank a chance to take in the honesty of the threat.

Frank nodded frantically and when Mickey shoved himself away from the older man and released his vice like grip on his arm, the Gallagher patriarch wisely decided to forego his rant about kids and respect and instead turned to stare at the still closed bathroom door, willing it to open one last time before glaring at his family and storming out of the house with promises of his imminent return.

-x-

"Thank you." It wasn't the words that surprised Mickey, he knew Fiona was trying to make an effort, to show Ian that she could bend if it meant he would stay. It wasn't the fact that she was thanking him for using violence on her father, with 'her' kids in the next room. No, what surprised Mickey was that she seemed genuine, like she actually meant it. She meant it when she said thank you and for the first time since Monica had unceremoniously marched into the house, Fiona let out a breath and relaxed, as if finally seeing an end to their current situation. "So what do we do about her?" She asked as she exhaled again, turning to look between Ian and Lip.

"Want me to break down the door?" Mickey asked lightly, only half joking.

"Ha, no, thanks but we're good." Fiona laughed out, no malice or spite. Tone light and sarcastic, almost friendly as she once again found the ability to smile a genuine smile.

Of course Carl bounded into the room at the mention of destruction and the panic almost immediately returned to Fiona's face when she saw Debbie following with wide and panicked eyes. Before she could move, or speak to calm her sibling down though, Mickey stepped forward and flicked Carl on the forehead. Carl frowned at the contact but smiled up at Mickey, a smile that was almost mirrored by a temporarily distracted Debbie.

"What I tell you 'bout breaking shit in the house?" Mickey snapped, with no anger and no hostility.

"Ummm, if it's fun… It must be done?" Carl laughed at his own joke but Mickey just snorted and flicked him again, looking straight into the younger boys eyes. Debbie smiled a slightly bigger smile this time. "Ouch," the young Gallagher yelped, "OK, OK… Not unless Fiona says so… Only if it's mine… OR if it's already broken beyond repair?" He asked with a thoughtful pause between each statement, expectant eyes looking up to Mickey for confirmation.

All the Milkovich boy did was smirk and nod at the youngster but no one in the room could miss the way Carl's eyes lit up as he threw his fist in the air to a scream of 'yes'. Carl jumped and turned on the spot, now facing Fiona with a cocky, wide and self-satisfied grin. Fiona smiled back at her younger brother, whilst Lip smirked toward Fi and Ian beamed brightly and whole heartedly into the eyes of the man he loved. Monica all but forgotten by every Gallagher in the room at that moment, even Debbie.

"The shit under the EL though," Mickey all but shouted with a clap of his hands, that once again made Lip jump out of his skin and turn to face the ex-con with startled eyes, "That stuff's free game so come the fuck on cause I don't got all day." With that Mickey turned and gestured to the back door of the house and started walking towards it. However, Carl bolted passed him at the prospect of causing some destruction with Mickey, and was already out of the door when the ex-con turned around to look at the youngest Gallagher girl. "You coming freckles?"

Debbie smiled her first real smile as she shoved her feet into a pair of shoes she didn't even bother to check were her own, then she was on her feet and out the door as fast as Carl. Mickey turned to Ian and the red-head gave him his best grateful expression before smirking and blowing a kiss. Mickey rolled his eyes and turned to join the two Gallagher kids outside with his sister, who was probably waiting not very patiently since Mickey stormed into the house and left her alone while Kev went to find Vee.

"Thank you Mickey," Fiona offered sincerely, "Seriously."

"Wow, two thank yous in a row, gotta be careful there Boss Lady… Else I'm gonna start thinking you don't despise my ass." Mickey retorted with a smirk.

Apparently the response was just what everyone else in the room was expecting as all it elicited from the Gallagher's still in front of him were three sets of eye rolls, Lip's ever present smirk, Ian's famous grin that manages to be both cheeky and prideful all at once, and probably most surprisingly, a warm smile from Fiona directed straight at the Milkovich thug before her. And with one last look to Ian and a quick "You gonna be OK with Momma bitch in the bathroom, or you gonna need me to step in and fucking save you again?" (The bravado failing to mask the genuine concern behind the words) To which Ian just smiled, a smile Mickey loved being able to draw from the boy he loved, and nodded, Mickey nodded his head as well and turned to leave the oldest Gallagher's to it. Thinking as he shut the door and looked to the two kids waiting at the bottom of the steps expectantly, 'how the fuck did I become the babysitter?' Kicking himself further when he almost let himself think about going back in to ask if they wanted him to take Liam out of the way as well.


	13. What of the Milkovich Mother?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I know in the actual series the Milkovich Matriarch is kind of a grey area because one minute shes picking up Iggy from juvie and the next she's been gone Mandy's whole life so I kinda just made something up from scratch, sorry if anyone disagrees with what her origin might be. I'll admit I just shamelessly used her as a prop for Mickey to help the Gallagher youngsters more :-P

"So whats the deal in there?" Kev asked as he approached the Gallagher house with a concerned Vee by his side.

"Frank's fucked off finally, their mums locked in the bathroom, hiding from whoever the fuck she doesn't wanna talk to now and I'm taking freckles and little sergeant destruction over there to vent some anger under the El." Mickey replied as he descended the steps. "Have fun..." He added as he ushered the two kids and his questioning sister away down the street.

"So Monica's back and the whole things turned to shit again?" Veronica scorned, walking behind her husband and exhaling the first of many fed up breaths that she knew the day would bring.

"Yeah, so much for Frank turning over a new leaf after escaping from hospital." Her husband replied as he climbed the steps to the back door.

"You're too old to believe in miracles babe."

 

-x-

 

"I'm not coming out untill you all promise not to shout at me!" Monica yelled from behind the bathroom door, desperation hanging off of her every word.

"No one's gonna shout shit, we just wanna know why you're here." Lip retorted, painfully disdainful of and yet surprising indifferent to his mother's apparent suffering.

The three oldest Gallagher siblings heard Monica shuffle and reach toward the handle when the front door gently opened and Kev popped his head inside. Vee mirrored her husband as she stood behind him and glanced around the room for Fiona, offering her a comforting smile when she finally met her eyes. With the noise of the door shutting behind them, Monica threw herself back onto the toilet seat and shoved her head back into her hands.

"Who's there?" She yelled between forced sobs.

"Oh for gods sake! It's just Kev and Vee, Franks not coming back any time soon!" Fiona shouted through gritted teeth.

Kev and Vee sat down at the kitchen table as Fiona moved to join them, Lip and Ian stayed behind the kitchen counter, leaning onto it with tired arms. The five of them all seemed to give up on Monica ever leaving the bathroom, they exhaled together and then each of them offered around a few lackluster smiles before Fiona pipped up again.

"This is ridiculous." She scorned after a few minutes of strained silence.

Vee smiled as reassuringly as she could whilst Kev nodded his head in agreement. "At least Frank fucked off, didn't think he'd leave until Monica did," he said positively.

"Yeah, how d'you manage that one?" Vee asked before Kev could, before the long haired man had even finished his sentence.

"Mickey," she said matter-of-factly, turning her head to look at a beaming Ian stood behind her.

"Ah so we finally found something Franks scared of," Kev drawled happily.

"Please," Lip scoffed from his position against the counter, "Frank's a piece of shit, he's scared of a lot of things."

"Yeah," Fiona interjected, "But scared doesn't usually stop him."

"So what was different this time?" Kev asked innocently, enjoying the lack of silence.

"Ha," Fiona laughed incredulously, "Come on, you telling me if a pissed of Mickey said jump you wouldn't immediately ask how high?"

Ian smiled wider still when every one in the room nodded in agreement, no judgement just acknowledgement of the truth.

"Oh," Fiona all but shouted after a couple of minutes of, slightly less tense, silence, she jumped in her seat at the memory of something and spun to face her best friend. "How did the meeting go?"

Her neighbour released a long sigh. "Ridiculous," Vee scoffed, slumped in her seat and shaking her head. "They won't lower my contracted hours, won't give me any time off with pay, hell they won't even give me the sick days I'm due. Just kept sayin' if I miss a single shift then I shouldn't bother to show up again." Kev rubbed a warming circle around his wife's shoulders and Fiona offered her best reassuring grin.

"It fucking sucks." Kev groaned when silence once again threatened to encapsulate the room. "Cause she ain't technically the biological mother," Kev said carefully, noticing his wife's shudder at the mention of her inability to conceive herself. "They won't give her maternity leave and without her time off, either I gotta leave the bar with people I really do not trust to run it full time OR Vee's mums gotta babysit..."

"And I really don't want her to have any more input than she's already had!" Veronica interrupted with a heated declaration that Fiona understood even without Vee explaining. She knew her friend was jealous of her mother, she knew that Vee didn't fully trust her anymore and she knew that she herself wouldn't want to give the woman any more control over the situation then she already has by carrying the child that is supposed to be the biggest joy of Kev and Veronica's lives.

"You could always leave the kid with us, we have Liam anyway." She offered honestly.

"You got a full time job now Fi, kids are all in school, you're gonna have your own problems finding a place for Liam to stay that doesn't cost a fortune in child care."

"Sheila loves looking after Liam, I'm sure she'll be happy to watch your baby too, specially now Karen's kid is gone." Ian offered helpfully.

"Besides, Debs goes round there to help before and after school, so she won't be doing it alone. I think it's good for them, Deb loves Sheila, Sheila adores Deb and they both love kids." Fiona said with a confident and assuring smile.

Vee looked to her husband, who continued his steady movements around her back and smiled as warmly as he could into her, now slightly more hopeful eyes. "It's worth a shot, I mean we could at least ask right?" He asked gently.

"No harm in that." She responded with a positive smile.

"I could watch the baby..." Came a quiet voice from behind the, now opening, bathroom door. "I mean, no need to bother Sheila, I'm family right, I could watch the kids, Liam too," She added, turning her attention to Fiona with a hopeful smile of her own.

"Are you kidding me..." Fiona blared as she turned to face her mother.

"So you're planning on sticking around then?" Ian interrupted calmly, disbelievingly.

"Of course, you're my family." The once Gallagher matriarch announced proudly.

"Have been for years, hasn't stopped you leaving before." Lip proclaimed defiantly and without remorse, "Ever." He added with a grimace, forcefully enough to make his mother jump back slightly.

Monica looked between her four children, Liam was stumbling in from the living room and waving his arms up at Lip, not even glancing towards his mother as he searched for the closest person he trusted to pick him up. And Lip did so, proudly holding onto his baby brother as Monica tried to hide her hurt at not being recognised by her youngest child.

"I know I've got a lot to make up for, but I've done some stuff right." Monica proclaimed to a stunned kitchen. "I helped you Ian, when your friend was in juvie...?"

"You took me to a gay bar?" He responded incredulously, the 'so what?' implied but not spoken.

"I helped, I talked it through with you?" She pleaded back.

"You slit your wrists on thanksgiving, for all of your children to see!" Lip shouted back, he could see the exasperation in his brothers eyes.

Ian and Fiona flinched at the memory but they both kept themselves together and stared their mother down.

"I needed help..." She offered back weakly, but honestly never the less.

"Yeah," Fiona scoffed, "Always have, you still do, and you always will do... But this family isn't responsible for helping you if you cant help yourself, or for putting you back together so you can rip us apart."

"I let you keep Liam!" Monica protested with all of her energy, glaring down her eldest daughter and growing more angry by the second.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Fiona screamed back. "That make you mother of the year does it?" She scoffed.

"I did the right thing, that counts for something."

"You did the wrong thing by threatening to take him in the first place." Lip said matter of factly, clutching the obliviously churpy toddler tightly in his arms. "Just so you and your big, black, temporary, girlfriend could play fucking house."

"I tried... Last time, I really tried..." The blond headed woman pleaded, "I took my meds and I tried to make it work, but you guys don't make it easy, you wouldn't even talk to me!" She shouted, pointing wildly at Lip as she willed tears to fill her eyes.

"So this is my fault now?" Lip returned menacingly.

"You could have tried! I tried!" She yelled again, nodding her head and cradling her chest as she turned from Fiona to her three sons and back again.

"It wasn't up to him to try!" Ian shouted, stepping around the counter and defending his brother with all of his might. "It was up to you prove you were different, to fight for us for once in your life but you didn't! You gave up... AGAIN! Like you always do! And you didn't think about us, about Debbie or Carl, who are still naive enough to think you actually give a shit about them..."

"I do..." His mother interjected, raising her hand to his face, trying to brush the anger away. But Ian just batted her hand away and carried on.

"You don't give a shit about us, you just care about yourself. About getting a quick fix to whatever the hell is wrong with you! You don't even look back when you walk away, and then you come back here each time and expect to be welcomed with open fucking arms!" The red head scoffed out a laugh as he considered leaving, going to find Mickey, the one person who could always make him feel better just by the fact that he was there. That he hadn't given up on Ian, that Ian meant more to him than anything and that he had fought so hard to be with him because to Mickey... Ian was worth it. But then the red head looked around at Fiona and Lip and little baby Liam and he didn't walk away. He couldn't be like Monica, if Mickey were in this situation he wouldn't walk away. Ian stayed with his family, who needed his support, his back up. He stayed with his sister who had giving up her childhood for him, for all of them. He stayed with his brother who he knew would gladly give up his life for him too. And he stayed for his baby sibling, who they were all determined would grow up without all the mess and struggle, his infant brother who they were all going to fight to protect.

"You wanna do the right thing... Mum?" Fiona said with a disgusted sarcasm that made Monica visibly flinch. "Stay the hell away... I can't make you leave the South Side but I can make you leave this house!" With that Fiona stood and marched to the door, turning as she opened it and gestured for her mother to leave.

"You're chucking me out?" Monica asked incredulously.

"I'm doing whats best for these kids, they need stability, strength and good guidance. They ain't getting that from you and they won't be getting it from me if I keep letting you gatecrash their lives only to abandon them again when it suits you."

"You're not serious...?" Monica urged, crying more forcefully now the reality of Fiona's determination was sinking in.

"She is." Lip affirmed as he handed Liam to Ian and moved to stand next to Fiona. Lip wanted to show his sister that the hard decisions were not only on her, that he had her back and she was most certainly doing the right thing, with a small smile and a quick head nod Fiona showed her eldest brother that she not only understood his gesture but that she also appreciated it.

Monica looked to Ian for support, but the red head just shrugged, shook his head then turned and took Liam back into the living room to continue colouring in whatever it was he wasn't supposed to be colouring in. Lip followed shortly after, with Fiona, Kev and Vee leaving Monica to stand in the kitchen with crocodile tears turning real as she finally realised that this time wasn't like the last. The Gallagher matriarch looked toward the living room just once before closing her eyes and tilting back her head, with a sharp inhale she turned and headed out into the cold South Side air without stopping to close the door behind her.

 

-x-

 

"Is she back for good this time?" Carl asked, far too innocently for a boy who's grown up in the life of a Gallagher in the South Side of Chicago.

"Hey kid, less questions... More breaking shit." Mickey responded instantly, having no clue how to breach the subject of the Gallagher's absent parent.

"She'll leave again when she gets bored with us." Debbie said quietly, a dejected tone that even an emotionally stunted Milkovich couldn't pretend to have not noticed.

"Listen kid, best thing my mum ever did was up and leave, some people you just don't need hanging around." The dark haired boy offered as Carl once again stopped bashing bricks against an old bike to turn and look to his mentor of sorts.

"I thought your mum was dead?" Debbie asked, her melancholy mood not easing up enough to feign actual interest.

Debbie was sat on top of a rubble pile, next to the bike that Carl has been trying to cripple beyond recognition since the trio arrived, having sent Mandy off to buy snacks and drinks for what could be a long day of avoiding the Gallagher house. Mickey was pacing the area in front of the kids, hands alternating between being shoved into his pockets and half heartedly scratching at any part of bare skin on his body, despite said areas having no semblance of an itch.

"Still her choice," was all he said in response, shrugging off Debbie's sudden concern because really, he was fine with it.

Both Gallagher children just stared at Mickey, seemingly hoping for him to expand, to explain how they could possibly be better off without the woman who birthed them, who they were supposed to love unconditionally, who was supposed to love them.

"Christ... OK look," Mickey said with a sharp inhale and a brief nod to the sky. He scratched the skin on the back of his neck before bending down and picking up a piece of twine off of the floor. No way was he broaching this subject without something to fiddle with as some sort of distraction from the fact that once again he was fagging out and offering up a part of himself that he had promised would be locked away from public view forever.

"I told my mum about me," he offered reluctantly. Carl looked between Debbie, who seemed to understand what Mickey had said immediately, and Mickey himself, but before the he could ask what he meant the older boy was already moving on. "I was like 13 when I figured it out, probably younger. Hell I was like 11 when I realised my dad would hate me for what I was so I guess that's when I figured it out, but I was 13 when it really started to freak me out. Before then it didn't fucking matter because I just figured I'd never do anything about it ya know..." Mickey got temporarily lost in his thoughts as Carl looked more and more confused, he looked to his sister who rolled her eyes and mouthed the word gay with an expression that screamed 'duh'. Realisation hit the young Gallagher and he returned his gaze to Mickey as the Milkovich boy continued.

"Anyway, so I was 13 when it started to get harder to fucking ignore it and I freaked the hell out because what I am ain't something I'm supposed to be and I knew my dad would fucking kill me when he found out. My mum was kinda like Monica, in and out, there one minute gone the next. Half the time Mandy didn't even know who she was, just thought she was another of dad's skanks. But I figured, ya know parent and all that shit, she'd care, or at least she'd know what to do. So I told her I had a problem and she got all fucking touchy feely saying stuff like she'd help, she'd fix it, it's what parents do, all that bullshit."

Mickey scrunched his eyes and rubbed at them with the palms of his hands, he clenched his lips and dropped to the floor, stretching one leg out and bending the other one at the knee to rest his arm on. "So I just came out with it, told her I was a fag, that I fucking knew it was wrong and it was disgusting and I didn't wanna be and I'd do anything to be god damn normal but I didn't know what to do." Mickey exhaled as he remembered that blank expression on his mothers face for the first few seconds, after what was the most difficult admission he'd ever had to make. "She just fucking looked at me, stared like I was some freak, some shit on the bottom of her shoe." The quiet before the storm, he remembered scornfully. "Then she told me that if I ever said the words out loud again she'd tell Terry and then she'd watch him tear me apart for it."

Debbie slammed her hand over her mouth in shock, Carl's eyes widened and Mickey scoffed a laugh. "I asked my mother for help and the bitch told me I was dead to her, she only had four sons and I should forget we had that conversation cause god knows she wished she could."

Debbie wanted to cry for Mickey, she wanted to take back his family's disgust and replace it with the Gallagher warmth, she wandered how different a person he'd be if she could. Then she remembered the person he was and the love he'd both given to and drawn from her brother, the warmth he's shown to her and Carl and Liam. Then she remembered what Mickey meant to her and her two younger siblings, how much they cared for him, whether he wanted them to or not. In that moment she realised that she didn't need to change his past because Mickey grew up OK.

"See she wasn't my mum... Sure the bitch gave birth to me, her names on my god damn birth certificate but that's just a piece of fucking paper. Better off without her. I don't know much about your mum and maybe she's not so bad when she's around, but every time she leaves you to crawl back down whatever fucking rabbit hole she sprang out of... Well just... No mum does that shit... Fiona sticks around, she takes care of you and she's into all that unconditional love bullshit. So just remember that when Monica turns up here..." Mickey looked deep into the eyes of the children sat in front of him. "She needs you a hell of a lot more than you need her, and when she leaves again," because Mickey wasn't about to lie to the Gallagher siblings and tell them it would be different this time because it's never different with people like that and unfortunately it was a lesson they would both learn. "Well you won't be missing anything cause you already got a mum, kinda, well something better actually because your sister chooses to do what she does, she coulda left, got the fuck on with her own life... But she chose to stay, Monica chose to leave... You guys get to choose which is more fucking important." Mickey huffed out the last two sentences without stopping to take a breath. He wanted this conversation over. He wanted to feel less vulnerable and open. He wanted to smash shit.

The dark haired boy jumped to his feet and picked up Carl's discarded brick and hurled it at the rapidly dismantling bike beneath him with all of his might. Without glancing around to see the reactions of the two Gallaghers beside him, Mickey picked up another brick and hurled it even harder. Carl moved to stand next to his friend, he picked up a slightly smaller brick and followed as Mickey threw his own back down a third time. Then Debbie jumped down from her perch and copied the two boys, she picked up her own brick and the three of them soon descended to anarchy as they laughed and forgot. As they pummeled the bike with stones and bricks, their feet and their hands flying around without a care for what was going on back home.

Except, unbeknownst to them, the situation at home was already resolved, and when Debbie turned around to reclaim her current weapon that had bounced rather impressively off of the side of bikes frame, she noticed three figures stood not too far from them. Three figures that were transfixed on the scene before them, three figures that she couldn't help worrying may have overheard Mickey's confession, if the intense expressions they were all wearing were anything to go by.

"Monica's gone!" Was all Ian managed to say to his little sister before he hurled himself forward and grabbed a hold of Mickey's hand, dragging the stunned Milkovich away from any and all witnesses as he threw his hands into the older boys hair and forced their lips together in a hungry and desperate kiss, complete with shortness of breath and excess emotion. Naturally Mickey kissed back instantly, surprised or not he wasn't one to object to the kind of outcome this action would inevitably lead to.


	14. Ian didn't give up!

Mickey inhaled deeply, catching his breath and closing his eyes. He turned to watch his Gallagher, stood beside him, putting on his jacket with a smile that tried to hide the worry behind his eyes. The Milkovich rolled his eyes at the thought of actually falling for possibly the most emotional person he's ever been with, opposites attract and all that crap but then Mickey shook himself out of his head because this was his life now, he couldn't bottle shit up or ignore it now. Another inhale...

"How much d'ya hear?" He asked calmly, leaning against a wall and lighting a cigarette.

"Mick, I'm so sorr..."

"Fuck you apologising for Gallagher?" The honesty behind Ian's eyes as he spoke shook the Milkovich thug, he hadn't expected that, he had expected a lecture on holding back, why he hadn't told him, or maybe no lecture but a serious are you OK moment followed by another round of proof sex.

"I shouldn't have pushed..." Ian slid down the wall and put his arms on his knees, dragging his hands down his face as he fought back the guilt he knew Mickey didn't need to see. Except Mickey could read him like an open book anyway and the older boy was far passed running at the first sign of emotion, no, Ian got to show him everything now and Mickey never ran, so the red head continued. "I'm so sorry I put so much pressure on you to... I dunno... Make this," he mumbled, waving between them as Mickey stood bemused above him. "To make us a thing. I doubted you, doubted your strength. Mick I thought you were a fucking coward when I found out you were getting married and I... Hated you for it."

Mickey could see the need for Ian to finish his thoughts so he kept his mouth shut, he held in the words biting at his tongue, that it wasn't Ian's fault, that he had been a fucking coward for almost letting his dad win, that he would never be that stupid again.

"I thought we had it the same, thought we were in the same boat," the red head almost sobbed. "When your dad walked in on us, beat me, battered you, I thought that had happened to us! That it was the same. When I found you on the roof and you wouldn't speak to me, I was so angry at you for running away from it, from me... And then when Mandy told me about you getting married I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me, you tried to get me to back off but I kept pushing. Trying to make you say something out loud that I never had to, that I'd never said to you. I knew you couldn't say it, knew you would never be able to say it but I kept pushing because I wanted you to push back."

Tears were rolling down Ian's cheeks now, single droplets from each eye, because he didn't have to hold back anymore, and he never wanted to again. The younger boy looked up and into the eyes of his lover.

"Because I wanted to hate you, I wanted you to push me away because I thought I'd lost you again and I didn't know what to do to stay close so I wanted you to make me hate you. And you did, I pushed you too far and you hit back and I still couldn't hate you because I could see it in your eyes that you were just as broken as me."

Mickey lowered himself down next to his Gallagher and looked down to the floor, he didn't need to confirm how broken he was when he lashed out at Ian that day, he hated himself for every hit, for every silence and for every step he took to walk away.

"But I was wrong, I was so wrong Mick. That didn't happen to us. Your dad. That fucking Russian. That happened to you. That was your family, your shit and I should have helped, I should have been patient and waited, not fucking taunted you for being weak when all I've ever had to deal with from my family is Frank's indifference. When they all found out about me I got nothing but support. You? You got hell and I should have..."

"What?" Mickey said firmly, "Should have what? Wrapped me in a fucking blanket and made it all better?" Ian looked back at Mickey and the older boy looked the picture of strength as he raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders. "You think I wanted your help? I wanted fuck all from you Gallagher, cause truth is I blamed you. For the first time in forever I had to deal with all that emotional shit and it was completely your god damn fault."

Ian silently nodded his head as Mickey shook his, for a smart kid the red head could be quite dense sometimes.

"But I never hated you," The black haired boy continued. "Never could hate you, wanted you too god damn much, knew then that nothing you did would change it. Bang old geriatrics, call me out on my bullshit, piss me off with your constant fucking talking, keep pushing for more even when I needed to want less," Mickey listed casually, with a sly smirk on his face that dropped the instant he uttered the next words. "You could have left and..."

Ian shot his head round and his eyes opened to stare into the beautiful blue orbs of his lover. Mickey took a deep breath before carrying on.

"Gallagher, you coulda done any of that stuff, hell did do most of it, you could have pushed until I was god damn ready to kill someone and it wouldn't have changed anything!" He stated matter of factly, turning his face to the floor.

"Just cause I could have done those things doesn't mean I should have Mickey. God Damn It!" Ian growled in frustration and threw himself to his feet. "How come you never fucking doubted me? How could you want me through all of that and yet I couldn't just accept who you were. Why did I have to push for more, huh? How could I have ever doubted you? And how the fuck are you OK with it?"

Ian was fuming with himself, and silence filled the small alley in which they had hidden themselves from the world. Mickey looked up as Ian paced back and forth, studying the features of the man he couldn't even begin to live without.

"How come you asked me to stay that day in the store?" Mickey said calmly as he slowly rose to his feet, eyeing Ian as he stood. A deadly serious expression on his face.

Ian knew what day he meant, knew instantly despite there being so many days they spent in that store. The day Mickey meant though, that was Ian's favourite, because although it started with Terry and a beating, it ended with Mickey and a new chance. "Cause I wanted to be near you, to have you close."

"After everything you'd been through cause of me?" Mickey shot back without a moments pause.

Frustrated by Mickey's seemingly deliberate missing of the point, Ian growled again and tensed his shoulders. "But it wasn't because of you!" He snarled through gritted teeth.

"You thought it was as at the time!" Mickey countered, again immediately.

With this Ian relaxed, because he was right, Ian had just admitted it, he did blame him... At the the time... And yet, "It didn't change anything Mick, I still wanted you, still needed you." He said with total honesty.

"And what the fuck did you think would happen when you asked me to stay?" Mickey held himself back, kept calm and looked deep into Ian's confused eyes.

"I thought if you stayed we'd be OK somehow," Ian answered almost timidly, because he was confused, didn't know where this was going, didn't know if he liked it. But he had to be honest. "At least we'd be together right," he added sarcastically, trying to bring some brevity into a conversation that had spiraled out of his control.

"You think I'd stay?" Was all the Milkovich responded with, sharp and straight to the point.

Ian faltered, he knew that there was a right answer to this question but he didn't know if the honest answer was the right one.

"I hoped." He conceded, hoping above hope that would be enough.

"Not asking what you hoped Gallagher, I'm asking what you thought!" The Milkovich boy was not angry, his tone was still calm and serious, but it had taken a new turn, like he was goading the younger boy.

Ian bit his lip with a tear threatening to fall, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and very exposed, but Mickey had been honest with him and so he owed him the same privilege. "Yes..." He muttered quietly, shrugging his shoulders and looking to the sky. "I did..." He continued, wanting to expand but not knowing how, because he didn't want Mickey to think he presumed he was what determined the older boys actions. "Cause I knew what you felt with me, knew you couldn't fake that." He hurried to explain, he thought Mickey would stay because he knew that this thing between them, even then, was just as real for Mickey as it was for Ian.

"And what d'you think would happen next?" Was Mickey's reply, still goading, still digging for something.

Ian let out another growl of irritation, "Fuck I dunno, Mick... That we'd go on fucking picnics and get a dog with a sweater!"

He was getting angry and the black haired boy could see it, so he just raised his eyebrows and smirked, an 'oh yeah?' not spoken but written all over Mickey's features. But the Milkovich didn't say a word, just stayed silent and stared at the red head in front of him until Ian had calmed down and turned back to face him.

"I dunno," the young Gallagher offered, "That we'd be OK cause we'd at least be broken together!"

"That it?" Mickey asked, pushing just a little bit more.

"That maybe we'd be able to fix each other." Mickey smiled quickly at that, like he'd just won an argument that Ian didn't know they were having.

"How d'you think it would end?" The ex con asked softly, well as soft as Mickey was capable of.

"I didn't..." Ian said automatically, without missing a beat. He knew then what he knows now, this thing between them won't end because it is too real and too raw to let go of, they both need it like a lifeline and they will both fight to the death for it.

"Just one more question, Firecrotch?" Mickey smirked triumphantly, "When exactly did you give up on me?"

"What?" Was all the red head could manage. "I..." And then he realised what Mickey seemed to know all along, and he smiled a smile so blinding that Mickey couldn't look away. Ian smiled, and laughed, and shook his head, calling Mickey an asshole when the smug look on his face didn't disappear. Because everything Ian had done since the day they first slept together was about Mickey, was for Mickey. Even when they were at there furthest apart, in distance or emotion, it was all still about Mickey because even then Ian saw Mickey as his future. In one way or another Mickey was in all of Ian's dreams and hopes and prophecies for his life. And even when their future looked its bleakest Ian didn't doubt for a second that they'd wind up crossing the same old boundaries, making new ones and breaking them down too because he knew he loved Mickey and he knew Mickey loved him and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that what they had wasn't something either would ever truly be able to walk away from.

"Done moping now?" Mickey said while Ian was still coming down from his epiphany induced high.

Ian shook his head though, because there was still a failure Mickey hadn't addressed. "How is it that you can see everything about me but I miss so much about you, until you fucking spell it out."

"Well that's easy..." Mickey shrugged, "I'm fucking badass, you...? Uh, not so much!" the Milkovich boy laughed as Ian shoved him into the wall.

"I should have seen how strong you were, how strong you'd had to be... From the beginning, I should have known." Ian sighed, trying not to to squash Mickey's good mood, but trying to convey how sorry he was at the same time.

"Shut the fuck up Gallagher." Was his reply. "You didn't know cause I didn't fucking tell you, simple as."

"You told Debs and Carl?" It was a question and not a statement, Mickey knew that before Ian even finished the sentence.

"They needed to hear it!"

"It was about them and not you, so that makes it OK to share?" Another question, but one Mickey was sure Ian already knew the answer too. "Thank you," Ian added, instead of prying into the mental workings of an emotionally stunted Milkovich, "Seriously, what you said... It was good for them."

"Yeah well like I said, I'm badass!" There was no hidden pain behind Mickey's words, no disappointment or hurt, no running or wishing for quiet.

"Mick, what your mum did... How she reacted..."

"OK stop right there Firecrotch," Mickey all but shouted, pushing Ian's hand away before the younger boy could offer him comfort for the wrong reasons.

"Mick..." the red head tried to interrupt.

"I mean it Gallagher, it doesn't matter!"

"How can it not matter, she was your mum?" Ian tried again to raise his hand to Mickey's shoulder but the ex con shrugged it off.

"Only on fucking paper..." When Ian looked like he was going to retort Mickey raised a placating hand and continued. "Look, Gallagher, I needed to tell someone and it just so happened to be her, she wasn't a mother, wasn't my mum, not really. But that's what you do right, talk to family about shit you can't tell anyone else. Well I sure as fuck wasn't gonna tell my dad or brothers and Mandy was too, well Mandy..." The Milkovich boy smiled at the thought of his sister going nuts if he told her, becoming some gay rights activist and blowing everything out of proportion, albeit with the best of intentions. "If that piece of paper had said anyone else's name then I woulda gone to them. But it didn't so I went to her, she said what she said and I dealt with it... Eventually." He added with a sarcastic, but genuine, smile.

"Your family sucks." Ian blurted out, only half intending to say it, but Mickey just smiled and nodded, which earned him a reciprocatory smirk from Ian, who shook his head and shoulder bumped his lover. Mentally shelving that conversation for another day, Ian was happy to move on for now.

"Was that your brother and my sister?" Mickey asked suddenly, almost exasperated at the thought of others having heard his confession.

"Yup, me and Lip were coming to find you guys to say it was safe to come home, bumped into Mandy walking back with a picnic..." Ian said mockingly, which earned him a shove back into the wall, and a scoff of 'fucking picnic my ass' from Mickey. "When we got to where you were you were just beginning your little speech," no less mockery in his tone but there was something beneath it now, pride, respect, a knowing sort of admiration that had Mickey want to... well, hurl, really. Seeing this just made Ian more happy with himself of course.

"Your sister's gonna pissed you didn't tell her." Ian added with his signature shit eating grin.

"Yeah and your fucking brother knows way too much about me," Mickey responded, lighting up a new cigarette, the previous one having been forgotten about after one drag amidst the deep and meaningful conversation which Mickey may well choose to deny having had, just to wind up the red head he had it with. "Your whole damn family does!"

Ian just smiled and took the cigarette from Mickey's, far from argumentative, hands. "Lip won't say anything to anyone else, he's not that stupid, Debbie likes you too much to spread gossip about you and Carl wouldn't dream of breaking your trust, way too loyal to his Master and Commander." The red head laughed and rolled his eyes at Carl's infatuation with all things Mickey, before remembering he wasn't really one to talk. "Yeah, yeah, OK." He conceded when a glance sideways told him Mickey was thinking the same thing.

"So what happened with Monica?" Mickey asked as the two of them turned and started walking back to the El to confront Mickey's, probably pacing and very angry, very strong, not so little anymore, sister.

 

-x-

 

"So Mickey's babysitting?" Vee commented while sat at the counter of the Gallagher kitchen, watching Fiona search through the cupboards for something to make for dinner.

"Yeah," she snorted disbelievingly, "Who'd have thought it.

"What d'ya bribe him with?" Kev asked from his seat at the kitchen table, fiddling with the toaster that's probably getting more broken by the minute.

"Oh let me guess, Ian withheld sex?" Vee asked with a big smile on her face, Kev winced and faked a gagging reflex and Fiona just scoffed and shook her head.

"I don't ever wanna know the sex lives of my brothers, s'far as I'm concerned they don't have them, never will. Neither will Deb's, Carl or Liam... Got that?" She responded, pointing between her giggling neighbours.

"Oh come on Fi, you're not that much of a prude," Veronica taunted back, "And I'm taking that as a yes by the way."

"Actually," Fiona announced, stopping her search and inhaling a breath as she turned to face her best friends. "He just took em, didn't even cross my mind. Carl came bounding in here when Mickey suggested breaking down the toilet door, then Mickey made him recite these rule's..." The oldest Gallagher sibling explained.

"Rules? Like only attack the doors hinges?" Kev remarked, laughing at his own joke when everybody else failed to do so.

"No, rules about when it was OK to break stuff in the house?" Fi Clarified to a shocked kitchen. "Yeah," she huffed out, acknowledging and understanding their surprise. "Shit like, only if its already broken, only if its his, only if I say so." She finished, pointing to herself to clarify that the 'I' meant her and not Mickey.

"Seriously?" Vee questioned, looking to Kev to back her up in her inability to comprehend the notion.

"Yep, then he offered to take him and Debs out to break shit that's free game," she said with a smile at the memory of Carl's eagerness to spend the day with Mickey. She put her hands on the counter and leaned forward, looking to the ceiling as she continued to smile in the memory of seeing her siblings go from desperate to excited with just a few words. "Man, you shoulda seen Debs when he asked if she was going too, I thought Monica coming back would break her, but just like that she was grinning from ear to ear."

"Mickey did that?" Vee asked, still shrouded in disbelief, "Mickey saved the day?"

Kev shrugged his shoulders and continued to stab the toaster with a knife in a bid to prod the wiring back into its correct place, so Vee turned her attention back to her best friend and raised her eyebrows, obviously waiting for the punchline.

"Yeah, I know, hard to believe huh?" Was he response as Fiona restarted her shuffle round the kitchen.

"Are you actually warming up to him..." Veronica asked astoundingly...

"The dirtiest white boy in America!" They both shouted together with a laughter fit to follow.

"I dunno Vee, the kids seem pretty taken with him, Ian loves him, maybe I'm in the wrong here?" She said, her eyes pleading for either advice or assurance, Vee wasn't sure which.

"Well you do have terrible taste in men!" The mother to be blurted out with a seriousness that lasted all of five seconds before another bout of laughter.

Fiona just shook her head and closed her eyes. "I don't want Ian to leave, but I dunno if I should let Mickey stay." She confessed solemnly. "I mean what if he influences the kids, turns em into mini Milkovich's, I mean he's bad news right?" The brown haired woman pleaded for back up.

"Yeah he's a total villain!" Kev announced from where he had given up with the toaster, but was fiercely analyzing the knife like it was somehow its fault the DIY operation had been a disaster. "I mean he has a job, he babysits the kids when you need to deal with your psycho part time mum, he stands up to Terry Milkovich to save your brother even though that means he's got no family left, he handles Frank because no one else can, he pays more into your squirrel fund than your brothers do and he's somehow managed to control the demon inside Carl... Total asshole!" The sarcasm seeping from Kev's voice earned him a death glare and kick to the shin from his wife but Fiona just stared, dumbfounded, and a bit defensive.

"He's a thug, a bully and a drug dealer," Vee countered, "People pay him... To beat other people up!"

"Yeah, the Gallagher's enlisted him at one point I seem to remember." Another kick to the shin. "Jesus Vee, I'm just saying the guy's trying, he obviously gives a shit about whether Ian lives or dies so cut the kid a break."

As Kev stroked his wounded leg, Veronica turned back to her best friend, who was still lost in thought. Vee gently rested her hand on top of Fiona's and offered her a comforting smile when the Gallagher's pseudo matriarch finally broke her concentration and glanced at her friend and neighbour. "Do you trust him?" Was all Vee asked.

"Ian does, I trust Ian... But..."

"No Fi, I mean do you trust him with Ian? Do you trust him with your little brother?"

"He loves him..." Was all Fiona said before the kitchen door swung open.


	15. Fiona's Choice

"You fucking lied to me!" Was the shout that followed the shoving open of the door. Mandy paced into the house with her arms flailing and her eyes fixed on the floor.

Lip came next, followed by a smirking Debbie and a delighted Carl, obviously enjoying the confrontation. Ian followed closely behind them and soon after him was an exasperated Mickey. "I didn't fucking lie, I just didn't fucking tell you!"

"That's just as bad!" Mandy retorted, still yelling loud enough to inform the whole neighbourhood that an argument was taking place.

"Like fuck it is," Mickey snorted, "'s'ides, you didn't need to know... Still don't in fact, so let's just pretend like you didn't hear a fucking thing and we can go back to no one knowing shit and every one being god damn quiet for a second!" Mickey all but pleaded, rubbing his hands either side of his forehead in an effort to shake off the headache building there.

"What the hell's going on now?" Fiona interrupted before Mandy could speak.

"That piece of shit lied to me AGAIN!" The younger Milkovich screamed, with a dramatic thrust of her arm in Mickey's direction.

"Mands..." Ian offered appeasingly, stepping toward the frantic girl, who just pushed the red head away and continued pacing. "Listen..."

"No fucking way, don't you dare defend him... He said no more secrets!" She shouted at Ian while still ferociously staring at Mickey.

"No I didn't..." Mickey muttered as Ian patted his best friend on the shoulder and tried to smile warmly enough to get her to calm down.

"Hang on," she faltered, "Did you fucking know, did you keep this from me too?"

Mandy turned her fury toward her best friend as an amused Lip settled on the stool in the middle of the kitchen and crossed his arms in mock disgust, "Yeah Ian, did you know about this?"

The red head scorned his brother with a look he sincerely hoped told the older boy just how seriously he could fuck off.

"Know about what?" Fiona yelled to everyone and no one in particular.

"Tell me!" Mandy screamed to one very specific person, the young Gallagher stood in front of her, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"He didn't know shit, found out the same as you." Mickey answered for him, nonchalantly like none of this was actually happening, matter of factly, like he was hoping to end the conversation once and for all.

"So he lied to you as well?" She asked incredulously.

Ian shrugged his shoulder's and coyly replied, "He didn't lie Mands, just didn't tell me?" As if the statement were a question that had any answer other than...

"It's the same fucking thing!" The black haired girl screeched, so frustrated that her voice had seemingly risen an octave.

"Before it was 'just as bad', now its the 'same fucking thing', make up your damn mind Mands..." Mickey added sarcastically, light heartedly, unhelpfully.

At this Mandy redirected the entirety of her rage back towards her older brother, stepping forward to try to corner the older boy by the door. But the black haired boy didn't flinch or falter, he just continued to stare his sister down and occasionally smirk just to rile her up again.

"Can someone tell me what the hell has happened now?" Fiona growled frustratedly. She walked around the counter to stand between the Milkovichs and her siblings, arms raised to separate them, as if they had been the ones on the brink of a fight.

"Something about Mickey lying again?" Vee snorted sarcastically, with a dramatic eye roll for effect, from her seat next to Lip.

Kev silently pleaded with his wife not to start anything, before shifting nervously is his seat, far too close to both the Milkovichs on one side and the Gallaghers on the other. Ian shot his own evils at his neighbour, while Mandy just scoffed and folder her arms, turning back to Mickey as if daring him to explain.

"Someone tell me something!" Fiona demanded after a substantial silence.

"Jesus," Lip relented, "We just found out something about Mickey that we didn't know before, Mandy's just pissed 'cause he didn't tell her about it... Although this reaction is kinda a good argument for why!" The smile off of his face now, Lip sank back onto his stool and shook his head, leaning back on the counter with his eyesnturned to his red haired brother, offering a warm smile.

Ian returned his brothers gesture, then tapped his older sister on the shoulder to get her attention as Mickey held Mandy back from charging at Lip across the kitchen with clenched fists.

"Fi, it's alright, please just trust me, it's nothing important, he didn't lie. He just said some things to the kids because they needed to hear 'em, then we overheard too and Mandy got upset... But it's really not a big deal. And it's kinda not your business," Ian raised his hands placatingly before his sister could react to that, "And it's not my thing to tell and Mick didn't have to tell anyone in the first place, it really doesn't affect anyone else so please Fi, just don't make this a big deal..." The red head did beg, because he knew how this was going to go. He could see it all now, Fiona's hurt at yet more secrets, more Mickey related drama that she knew would keep on happening. He knew this was just the thing his over protective sister was waiting for to prove that Mickey was no good, to prove that the lies would keep on coming and that the honesty Ian believed they shared was just a pipe dream. And although he could understand why she would think that, he realised what it must look like from her perspective, Ian kept rambling out reasons and plea's of acceptance in the hope that Fiona could in turn understand why that's not the case at all, why it's him that's right and not her.

For her part Fiona just stared. First at her brother, who she's listened to over and over, defending this ex con stood in her kitchen. Who she's listened to Ian make excuses and promises for. This neighbourhood feared thug who's had a whirlwind effect on her family. From his father, who beat her brother half to death, to his brothers, who could try to do the same at any moment, his sister, who was everything she never wanted Debbie to be. To the man himself, Mickey Milkovich, who sorted his problems out with violence, who acted now and rarely thought later, who swore way too much and showered way too little. Who's grown up to worship violence as the only solution and prejudice as the only norm. Fiona stared at Mickey as the cogs ticked in her mind, as the need to protect Ian from any more hurt built up inside of her so strongly that the love she felt for him threatened to explode in a fit of her own form of violence. She stared at Mickey as the dark haired boy stared back and the rest of the room was in silence, looking frantically between the pare. But Mickey's gaze didn't falter, he held Fiona's damning eyes and fought back against them, the cogs of understanding ticking away within himself as well.

This silent showdown lasted for what seemed like an eternity before Fiona spoke without any emotion, without any change in her features or any distinctive tone in her voice. She spoke sharply and calmly at the same time, three little words said at a volume that all could hear but none could accuse of being threatening... "You should go."

At his sisters words Ian froze. His heart beating loudly in his chest as he immediately prepared for another showdown, the outcome he had been dreading but, honestly, didn't think could be avoided. He took a deep breath in as he turned to watch his still silent, still staring lover, facing down his sister with a tenacity that Ian couldn't help but admire.

"You should go..." Fi spoke again when no one else uttered a word, but there was something lighter about her tone now, and after she spoke her eyes left the ex con's and the eldest Gallagher turned to her brother and said again... "You should go."

Ian's eyes scrunched up in confusion as he tried to process his sisters change of target. "What...?" Was all he could gasp out before his voice broke at the prospect pf her hate for Mickey overpowering her love for him. His breathing sped up as he looked around the room at all the shocked faces, all faces but Mickeys, who was grinning, wide and honest. Ian blinked back tears as he turned back to his sister with a lump in his throat that threatened to block his next question. "You're kicking me out?"

Mickey immediately moved to Ian's side and turned to face Fiona as her expression softened, let back in the emotion she had seemingly been blocking out for the last few minutes. She smiled a sad smile and her own tears threatened to fall as she replied to her devastated brother. "You're leaving anyway." She remarked.

"But..." Ian pleaded, letting out a shocked growl of confusion as he arched his shoulders and looked back around the room. Mickey placed his hand on the small of Ian's back and the younger boy instinctively leaned into the comfort, even though part of him was screaming to fight back, to ask how the hell Mickey can be smiling as Ian loses his family, how he can be happy when he, more than anyone, knows the importance of what losing family means. Ian choked out a sob before Fiona raised her hand to his cheek and smiled another smile, warmer but still full of sadness.

"You're leaving anyway..." She repeated, "I can't change that Ian..." She acknowledged with an acceptance that made the both of them regret all of the space that the past few weeks had created between them. "What I'm saying is, now... I'm not gonna try." She said warmly.

Mickey's smile grew as Ian still failed to understand.

"Kiddo, I love you," Fiona expanded when she saw the confused faces on those around her hadn't lifted. "I just want what's best for you, you know that right..." She said through tear laden eyes, the question more of a plea for confirmation that Ian knew how important he was, how unconditional her love for him was.

"Yeah Fi, I know," Ian managed to reply, his voice breaking as she rubbed a thumb under his eye to catch a stray tear.

"I used to think that was us," she proclaimed, gesturing around the house with her free arm, "Was me," she choked out through a false laugh with a raise of her eyebrows. "God Ian you're so strong, you don't need me!" Fiona raised her other arm so her hands were cupping Ian's cheeks as she pulled his forehead to hers and closed her eyes. "I'm not saying I want you to leave Ian, I'm saying I understand..." She laughed another tired laugh, "I guess I'm giving you my permission, even though we both know you don't need it."

Ian brought his hand up to her cheek and Fiona opened her eyes. Hazel orbs stared into brown ones as Ian smiled and said honestly, "I need your blessing."

"Well you have it!" His sister whispered loudly as she pulled Ian into a crushing hug that the red head instantly returned.

A flash of a thank you smile crossed Mickey's face as Fiona looked up from her brother's shoulder, she closed her eyes and nodded, offering the same gesture in return, before pulling away from her brother and grasping his shoulders tightly. "I'm not saying rush," she all but shouted. "God knows what kinda places you would end up in if you don't take your time and save some more..." She part lectured to them, part considered to herself. "So take your time and stay here as long as it takes," that was an order and not a request, "You too," she said firmly to the Milkovich stood behind her brother, that was another order. "You're welcome here."

Mickey nodded again and Ian smiled his blinding smile as he turned to his lover and realised just how smart the ex con could be, he probably knew Fiona had come to this understanding before even she did, Ian rolled his eyes at the thought.

"Right!" Fiona said with a clap, snapping everyone out of their respective dazes, "There is nothing in for dinner so I'm going to the the store, anyone want anything, you got until I get my shoes on to make the list." She announced before turning on her heal and running up the stairs to her bedroom. She stopped in the bathroom to wipe her eyes and as she looked into the mirror to take a few deep calming breaths, Fiona smiled her first real smile of the day. The thoughts flooding through her head were threatening to overpower her but Fiona smiled at her reflection because the feeling that overwhelmed her above any other was the feeling that she had just made the exact decision she was meant to make, that she had finally done the right thing.

Needless to say, when Fiona arrived back at the bottom of the stairs, the kitchen was alive with noise and commotion. Mandy had now replaced Lip on the stool by the kitchen counter. Her arms were crossed and she was staring at her brother with looks that would frighten the life out of anyone else but Mickey. For his part Mickey was just ignoring her, probably knowing something no one else did about his sisters inability to hold a grudge with family. All of the Gallagher's were scrambling round the table with pens and a single piece of paper, trying to cram things into a list that they all knew Fiona would veto half of anyway. Vee was sitting on Kev's lap as he had apparently restarted his quest to fix the toaster, she was not so much helping as she was hiding another of his vast array of unsuitable tools every time he looked away, probably searching for a tool she had already hidden.

Mickey was leaning on the doorway to the living room, content to avoid the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. However, he was not quite as successful in avoiding Liam's attempt at getting his attention, the toddler having stumbled over to the black haired boy and pulled on his trouser leg until the Milkovich had finally relented and picked him up with a disgruntled growl. The aggravation seemed to fade as quickly as it hit though, and soon Mickey was smiling while trying to teach the toddler a vast array of things to say, from swear words, to acknowledgments of the ex cons greatness.

Without a word Fiona marched to the table and swooped on the list, picking it up without bothering to look at it and running to the door before anyone could shout out any more ridiculous requests, shouting a quick "Love you, be back soon, keep and eye on Kev and that toaster!" Before the door shut behind her.

 

-x-

 

"You OK?" Vee asked as she sprinted to catch up with her friend.

"Ummm Yeah," Fiona responded with a smile as she spun to watch Vee approach her.

"You sure? Kinda did a U-Turn back there?" Veronica questioned, full of genuine concern and no judgement.

"You asked if I trust him with my brother? That's what it comes down to right?" Fi responded, turning back around and resuming her mission to the local store. "He's lost everything cause of Ian... FOR Ian... Can't really not trust that can I?"

"Fi..." Veronica started, but didn't have time to finish so much as her friends name.

"No, I'm serious Vee, Mickey's given up everything for Ian, to be with him, to keep him safe... Jesus, never thought I'd say that about Mickey Milkovich!" She laughed. "But it's true and that's more than anyone's ever done for me, more than Frank or Monica ever did for each other. Hell even you and Kev..."

With that Vee shoved her friend and threw her her best 'what the fuck expression?'. But Fiona just smiled and shoved back, "Vee I know you would give up every thing for him, god knows you've made sacrifices I don't think I ever could, and he'd do the same for you, but the fact is you've never had to give up as much as Mickey has, and like I said I don't think I'd ever be able to give up my family for someone, no matter how much I love him."

"He who you want Ian to end up with?" Vee asked with a seriousness that wiped the smiles of both of their faces.

Fi spoke after only a few moments hesitation, "Yeah, I guess I could get used to that idea."

"Get used to?" Vee questioned again, obviously pushing for more certainty.

"Baby steps Vee!" Fiona responded with a smile and another small shove.

Veronice smiled back and nodded her head as her best friend continued to convince both herself and her neighbour that she's doing the right thing.

"I mean, like Kev said, he's making a hell of an effort, he obviously loves Ian, the kids love him, they'll never get bullied again with him as their own personal bodyguard," She laughed, linking arms with her best friend as they all but skipped down the round, a bounce in both their steps that wasn't their before. "And god, I thought I had it tough growing up, but can you imagine what it was like having Terry as a father and that skank whore of a woman for a mum?"

"Oh my god, you remember when she tried to sleep with Kev to pay off her bar tab?" Vee interrupted, adrenaline pumping again just through the memory.

"I remember you knocking two of her teeth out and her just laughing, saying she'd be able to give better head without her teeth anyway!"

"Yeah that and she wouldn't need to open her mouth to pop her pills now, just tilt back her head and throw 'em through the gap!"

"Well Mickey survived growing up with that so I'm pretty sure he can survive anything." Fi offered, returning the subject to something more current, a smile still on her face from the memory of her best friend defending her husbands honour in front of a bar full of jeering men, seconds after two men had arrived to carry out an impromptu health and safety inspection and ID'd themselves to Kev. A fun situation to get out of that turned out to be.

"Even Ian's overbearing, incredibly protective family? I heard his sister especially can be a real bitch," Vee joked happily, earning her a thump to the shoulder and a "Fuck you!" from Fi.

"I don't know if I'll ever actually LIKE Mickey," Fi conceded, "But I don't have to," she acknowledged, "I just gotta like what he does for Ian!"

 

-x-

 

"She's not really pissed at you, ya know?" Ian sighed as he sat down next to Mickey on the Gallagher porch.

Mickey scoffed and looked at his lover as he passed over his cigarette. "You think you can tell me shit about my sister I don't already know Gallagher?" The ex-con laughed, to which Ian just raised his arms in surrender with a smile of his own. "Nah man, she feels guilty now but she'll be over it soon enough."

"Maybe you can help speed up the process?" Ian responded lightly. "Ya know, 'stead of just pissing her off more?"

"Fuck that man, her being pissy means I get some peace and fucking quiet. More pissed she is the more stubborn and the more stubborn the more silent."

Ian released a small belly laugh as he handed back the cigarette and nodded his head. "You're family is so fucked Mick, I swear to god."

Mickey laughed too and shoved Ian playfully, taking a long drag of the fag and exhaling through his nose. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, though, the door opened behind them and Mandy leaned her head out with a suspiciously easy smile.

"So I've decided to forgive you," she announced happily, "And in order to thank me for my forgiveness, I've also decided to let you buy me that dress I need for Melissa's bullshit engagement party. Joany, the bug eyed bitch from the store, just text me to say the sale ends tomorrow so you're gonna wanna get on that unless you wanna spend a bomb." Mandy smiled sickeningly sweetly before disappearing back inside the house and Ian only just had the time to turn back to face Mickey before both boys smiles turned into full blown laughter and Ian ran his hand across a doubled over Mickey's back in sympathy.


	16. The Daddy Returns

Ian was sat at the counter of the Kash 'N' Grab when in walked a man he never thought he'd see in the South Side, yet alone in his place of employment. The man scanned the room, obviously deciding whether to pick something out to buy or to just bypass the bullshit and approach the young boy waiting impatiently for him to make his decision and get the whole thing over with.

"What are you doing here?" The young red-head asked, foregoing pleasantries and making the mans decision for him, when it was clear he wasn't going to make it for himself any time soon.

The man inhaled and turned to Ian, a forced but pleasant smile on his otherwise tense face.

"I stopped by your house, Monica gave me the address..." Ian's brows scrunched in anger at Monica's latest scheme, because that must be what this is, the only question is why. Sensing his unease at the mention of his mother, the older man moved from his spot and slowly walked towards the counter. "Umm, you weren't there... Obviously..." His words were rushed and the tension in his shoulders and face seemed to get more severe with every second that passed. "Your sister was there..." He continued, just as quickly, "She was lovely, your brother too... Real nice family you have." He proclaimed with a smile, probably twice as patronizing as he meant it to be. Ian just glared in response, trying to hold off his judgments as the man was obviously struggling with what to say. "Umm... She said you'd be here, said you've worked here for years... Bet she's proud of you, keeping a job for so long at your age... You must be good at it." The man retreated a step at his words and frowned, scrunching his eyes and shaking his head, mentally berating his sudden inability to speak. "I just mean... Ya know, I'd be proud... I mean, not that it's any of my business... Or that my opinion matters in the slightest... I just... What I meant to say was... I... Listen..."

"What do you want?" Ian asked, louder than he possibly should have, trying to break the man from his nerve induced spiral into a muttering mess.

The man took another deep breath, blinked his eyes and smiled a quick, polite smile up at young Gallagher boy.

"I wanted to meet you!" He said honestly, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Properly, I mean."

"Your wife know you're here?" Ian asked back, elbows now resting on the counter, holding up his head, eyebrows arched and cocky.

The man laughed a quick laugh and shook his head. "No, she umm... She doesn't know, doesn't need to. She, uh, see she doesn't get it... I've given her everything I can, all my explanations, excuses, apologies... You name it, I've said it... Or, ya know, done it."

As the man in front of him lost himself in his thoughts Ian couldn't help but look him over, focusing on every feature, every twitch of his face muscles, every gesture of his hands. A man who Ian had been content to never give a second thought too, a man who has never meant anything to him, who has no reason to mean anything to him. A man who at one time could have represented a whole new life for Ian, a life that Ian had long since given up one, one he realised he didn't even miss the idea of. He hadn't been waiting for the man to show up, their first run in was nothing, it was quick and uneventful and Ian had pushed it aside and not allowed it to have any further impact on his life. But now, with the man standing in front of him, the young Gallagher couldn't help but ponder him, he was slim and firm, with soft features and warm eyes. If anything the man was bland, nothing exciting to look at but he held himself well, like a man from the South Side who'd done well for himself. And he had, he'd gotten out of the rut of the lower classes and kept himself out, he was still a working class man but he seemed to be a proud man and, honestly, Ian was intrigued by him. So he didn't interrupt or tell the man to leave because he couldn't help but want to hear what he had to say.

The man coughed to shake himself free from his thoughts, reclaiming Ian's attention as well. "It's not just her I need to make it right with though." He exclaimed, lowering his head and raising his brows, staring into Ian's face as if to gauge how he should proceed.

"This you apologising to me now?" Ian asked curiously, his voice mocking and filled with disbelief. He didn't want an apology, as far as he was concerned this stranger had nothing to apologise for.

"No, this is bribery." As he spoke the man pulled an envelope from his coat pocket and placed it gently on the counter next to Ian.

"The hell is this?" The young man asked, retreating his upper body to a safe distance from the unidentified packet.

"I can't give you anything else!" The man all but pleaded, eyeing both Ian and the envelope in quick succession before running his hands through his hair.

"You don't owe me anything." Ian spat out, "I'm nothing to do with you, Clayton, only thing we share is that name!" He tried to keep the venom out of his voice but he couldn't help a little anger seeping out. Anger at having a part of that 'could have been' life attached to him like a constant reminder, a nagging token of his mothers infidelity to keep Frank hating him.

The older mans head shot up, brows furrowed in confusion. Ian returned his gaze and huffed out an amused laugh before shaking his head, "You don't even know..." The young man laughed disbelievingly. "It's my middle name." He clarified just before Clayton could open his mouth to ask.

This information seemed to strike a chord with the older Gallagher, who appeared to shrink into himself slightly as he retreated backwards slightly.

"I knew there was a chance," He blurted out, eyes looking suspiciously moist. "After we... After the time we spent together... I saw her... Monica... She was pregnant... I knew there was a chance..." He reiterated, back to his earlier mumbling, Clayton managed to look both ashamed and innocent of blame as he glanced back to his biological son, sitting quietly behind the counter.

"So?" Was all the young man said.

"So?" The older man shouted incredulously, like it was now Ian's turn to bear his soul.

"So?" Ian repeated. "What? You think you owed her anything then? Owe me something now? Think you're the first person to knock a girl up then not stick around to see it through?"

"That's not who I am." Clayton stated solemnly.

"Well, it's who you were." Ian responded immediately, no judgement, just fact. "Listen," he continued, exhaling loudly, suddenly bored of this conversation and feeling the need to mother the grown man in front of him. "I got a family... Yeah Frank was never dad of the year, the opposite really, the guys a fucking mess... But I got a family, and I love them, they love me and we're all good, so you don't have to worry, OK."

"Ian..."

"What is it you think you could have done?" Ian shouted, "What? I know you're not thinking you should have saved Monica from her miserable marriage, brought me up together..."

Clayton just rolled his eyes and took another small step back. "So what, you shoulda taken me from the hospital, raised your bastard son with your cheated on wife? Cause that would have been a happy home!" Ian shook his head and laughed, "Nah I did OK thanks."

"I shouldn't have ignored you, I should have given you something..." The older man declared, tone severe, impenetrable.

"But you didn't... And I got on just fine, so you're off the hook."

"Please, I can't... I need to do something, give you something... This is all I can do!" He gestured back to the envelope and his eyes begged Ian to open it.

Ian rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth, looking to the ceiling he took a few deep breaths before looking back down to the packet in front of him and reaching for it, already knowing what it was but not knowing how to accept it. Peeling back the flap of the envelope, Ian could feel Clayton's eyes fixed on him, and when he pulled out two large stacks of 20 dollar bills, the younger boys breath hitched as the man beside him blushed at the vacuous gesture.

"I don't need your fucking money, or your fucking pity so just leave and lets both carry on forgetting the other exists!" Ian shouted, barely containing his rage, suddenly gripped by a need to defend his life. He may not have had Clayton's happy home to grow up in but he didn't need hand outs, he could do this by himself. Although not really by himself because he had Mickey, and they could do it together. Although, again, not really just the two of them because he knows Debs and Carl keep sneaking small amounts into Ian's savings jar and Fi and Lip will help no matter how much he says he doesn't need it. Even Kev and Vee have forced him to accept donations towards his savings, regardless of trying to save themselves. ("Listen kid, you're as close to brother as I ever got, now take the money and don't blow it on porn," "But Vee, you're having a baby...", "Who do you thinks babysitting on date night? I don't want my kid staying in a shit hole!") In no mood to smile at the memory, Ian just scorned the man in front of him more, for daring to assume Ian needed anything from him. That he wasn't given enough from his real family.

"Ian, please, I'm your..."

"Don't you dare!" He interrupted fiercely. "Frank may not be my father, but neither are you! You're just one of many guys who "spent time with" my mother!" Ian finger quotes the reference to Clayton's earlier phrasing, scoffing at his dads inability to call it what it was. He screwed Monica and didn't wanna stick around for the consequences. Ian was OK with that, didn't judge him, didn't want anything from him now.

"Ian, please..." He begged again, stepping forward and raising his eyes to look solemnly into the younger boys. "Please... It's all I can do!"

"Don't you get it?" Ian yelled back. "I don't want anything from you! You're off the hook! I got a family who I'd die for, who'd die for me! I don't need you! You don't have to do anything!"

"Please just..."

"I think what absent daddy here is tryin' ta say is that this is more for him than for you Firecrotch." Mickey announced as he walked through the door like he owned the place.

Clayton spun on the spot, horrified that someone else knew who, what, he was to Ian. Seeing his reaction Mickey just scoffed and walked past the stuttering man, straight to the fridges to pull out a soda.

"What?" He asked, uncapping the drink and feigning innocence. "You were shouting so loud m'surprised the whole street hasn't camped outside to listen to the show." Mickey laughed again and stalked over to the counter, shoving a few coins at Ian before the young red-head could ask for them, then jumping to sit on the counter and stare at the awkward older man. "Jesus," he scoffed, tilting his head to the side patronizingly, "You're looking more desperate than a Paedo at a primary school!" Ian smacked the black-haired boy in the back with as much warning as he could, to which Mickey just shrugged and sipped at his beer. "I'm serious Gallagher, I'd take whatever he's offering before the guy breaks down, or slits his wrists or something."

Clayton looked to the door, obviously considering bolting. Torn between doing what he thought was the right thing by his son, and what self-preservation told him he should be doing at that moment.

"Money." Ian proclaimed flatly, passing Mickey the stacks of bills that were still clutched between his fingers.

"Jesus, Gallagher!" the ex con jumped off the counter and spun to face his lover, running his fingers other the cash in his hands. "He tryin to buy a night with your god damn sister or something?" He asked surprisingly seriously, before laughing and shoving the bills back towards Ian. "So you've said what? Maybe 10 words to Ian his whole life before today? Now you show up with a wad of cash tryin' to buy another guiltless 17 year absence?"

Two sets of eyes landed on Clayton as he scrambled for an answer. "Ummm..."

"Jesus, enough with the god damn umming and ahhing, just say what you mean so we can get this over with and get on with out separate lives." Ian ran his hands down his face and looked back to his 'father' without any malice.

"I want you to accept that money, I can't give you anything more, I know you wouldn't want it if I could... Hell... Honestly I wouldn't want it right now either," Clayton had the decency to look ashamed of this confession before he continued on, "I don't have much but I have this. A one-off payment, I don't want anything in return... And yes," The older man faced Mickey and mock bowed, "Ian taking this money is more for my benefit, it will go along way to easing my guilt... I never wanted to abandon anyone, but regardless of how well things turned out for you anyway, that's what I did. And I know it's too late to change anything, but I can do this, if you'll let me."

Ian looked deep into the strangers eyes and sucked in a breath as he contemplated the money within his reach. "I take it your wife doesn't know, that's why its cash and not a cheque?"

"Like I said, she doesn't get it. We're in a good place right now and I didn't want to set things off again."

"How thoughtful of you," Mickey scoffed, no real judgement on his face though, a part of the Milkovich boy just liked rocking the boat.

Ian rolled his eyes and looked back down at the money. He breathed out again and grabbed a hold of it, looking to his name sake and smiling a half assed smile. "OK," he said resolutely, "Here's whats gonna happen... You're gonna take this money," he said, placing the notes back into their envelope and raising it toward Clayton Gallagher. "You're gonna take it," He declared again, when his father in blood alone moved to protest, "And you're gonna put it away for that kid of yours." Ian stood and walked around the counter, stopping next to Mickey and crossing his arms as the ex-con raised his own hand to Ian's back. "He is your responsibility, I am not." Again Clayton opened his mouth to speak but Ian raised his hand to stop him. "He is your son, your only son!"

Defeated and frustrated Clayton grabbed the envelope and darted out of the store without a backwards glance. Once the door had shut behind the older man Ian relaxed, releasing a breath that he no longer needed to keep him grounded. The red-head turned on the spot to look at Mickey, who removed his hand from Ian's lower back and clapped loudly next to Ian's head with a shout of "You ready to go yet?"

Glad that his partner wasn't making a big deal out of something he hadn't fully processed himself yet, happy to have a reprieve before he had to talk about it, Ian smiled and kissed the older boy deeply. After pressing him against the counter and letting himself get lost in the kiss, Ian finally pulled back and said he just had a few things to do before he could lock up and leave. Mickey nodded and jumped up on the counter with the promise of helping so they could get the fuck out of there quicker and just "go the fuck home already, seriously you don't know the fucking day I've had, those other mechanics are fucking useless, I mean my god... how fucking hard is it to replace a catalytic converter after a failed smog test and assemble a turbocharger for a rich ass idiot who wouldn't know the exhaust pipe from the injection pump anyway. Danny would be furious?"

Laughing, both at Mickey's ranting and his idea of helping ("Moral support man, just as important... besides, don't wanna fuck with your routine!") it took Ian a little while to realise just what Mickey had said. When he did though, the red-heads face split in two with a smile so broad it took the black-haired boy by surprise.

"What?" Ian asked happily.

"What what?" Mickey responded cautiously.

When Ian just continued beaming, waiting for the Milkovich to catch on, the ex con looked incredulous. "What?" He all but shouted, "You want a fucking engineering lesson or something?"

Ian just shook his head and leaned against the broom he had picked up with the intention of brushing down the store-room. Raising his eyebrows, he continued to look at Mickey with an annoyingly soppy and contented look on his face.

Realization dawned on Mickey like a particularly sharp smack to the face. He closed his eyes and leaned back, brushing his hands down his face and exhaling exhaustedly. "Don't make it thing Gallagher, or I fucking swear to god..."

Ian just raised his eyebrows further, daring the boy in front of him to finish that threat. Silence descended on the two boys as they both stared into the others eyes, one mocking and one holding empty threats, Ian smiling and Mickey scowling with such ferocity that had it been directed at anyone else they would be begging for mercy right about now. Then, out of nowhere Ian laughed, loud and proud, smacking Mickey's knee as he turned toward the store-room with a sudden need to finish up as quick as possible.

"Fuuuuuck!" Mickey hissed out when the younger boy had vanished from view, he exhaled and smiled a disbelieving smile, looking down at the floor and wondering when the hell the Gallagher house became his home, up until now it had always been 'your place, or 'the place' or any other type of miscellaneous place, but now apparently it was a small part their place . 'Ah well...' he thought and then jumped down and turned to the direction Ian had disappeared, "Hey Gallagher, hurry the fuck up, I wanna start work on the heap of scrap metal you call a van in your yard. Overheard your sister talking to Vee about maybe taking the kids out for the day, maybe to the beach or summit... Figured even that death trap would be safer than letting you all loose on the El... And after that I wanna have some time left to put a decent fucking lock on our room... dunno bout you but I got some serious tension needs releasin' and I don't want no interruptions this time!" Mickey smiled at sound of Ian fumbling in the back room, '...in for a penny, in for a pound and all that.'

 

-x-

 

A few days later Lip was watching in amusement, as a tired Mickey was trying to convince an excitable Liam that bouncing on the sofa was just as entertaining as bouncing on his lap, when suddenly, the door bust open and Ian rushed in and darted up the stairs. Mickey looked after him but by the time he'd managed to palm the toddler off on Lip and stand to follow the red-head upstairs, he was already marching back down. He walked past Mickey hurriedly and rushed straight to get a beer from the kitchen, "Want one?" he shouted through the archway.

"Nah man, I'm good!" Lip shouted back, raising the bottle in his hand even though Ian had already returned his gaze to the fridge.

He walked back into the living room and flung himself onto the couch with an exaggerated huff.

"What?" He asked a couple of minutes later, seemingly having only just noticed both Lip and Mickey's eyes fixed on him.

"Fuck's going on?" Mickey asked from his place now on the other side of the sofa.

"Why does something gotta be going on? Just wanted a beer..." Ian feigned innocence, avoiding any and all eye contact, even with Liam.

"Yeah pull the other one!" Lip retorted, "You're my brother, you can't hide shit from me, and him...?" Lip continued, raising his eyebrows and pointing to Mickey, "He's creepily intuitive, especially where you're concerned, starting to think he might know you almost as well as I do." Lip smirked and just brushed off Mickey's retaliatory scoff.

"Nothing is going on," Ian protested, ignoring his brother and his lover's private competition.

"Well I guess that explains why you're back so early then, huh?" Mickey remarked.

"What?"

"Your shift finishes at 4 today douche bag, it's only 2.30." Mickey expanded.

"Shit!" Ian exclaimed, he jumped up and was about to race out the door when Mickey grabbed his wrist.

"Yeah, not fucking happening." The ex con, let go of his lover and grabbed his mobile out of his jeans, after firing off a quick text Mickey put the phone back and motioned for Ian to sit the fuck back down. "Now Linda knows you're AWOL, family emergency, if she asks just say Lip couldn't get his head out of his ass."

Mickey dodged the cushion hurtling towards his head and threw back a building block which collided with Lip's cheek.

"Asshole," the older Gallagher muttered as the pair of them waited for Ian to sit down, one of them slightly more impatient than the other.

After giving Ian a helping hand in returning to his spot on the couch, Mickey sighed and bit the corner of his lip, rubbing the spot with his thumb for a second before turning to the red-head with sad eyes. "It's that fucking geriatric again isn't it?"

"What?" Ian shouted, staring wide-eyed at the Milkovich beside him.

"Jesus Ian, I know he fucking came to see you so just stop with the bullshit OK!" The older boy shouted back, eyes somehow appearing both solemn and furious at the same time.

"Mick... What the hell are you talking about?" Ian pleaded, when he moved to touch Mickey's shoulder though, the older boy threw off his hand and jumped to his feet.

"What, so you're gonna fucking deny it, try make me into some little bitch while you carry on with that old faggot, who can give you lots of pretty things, behind my fucking back?" His tone was dangerously angry now, and Lip couldn't help but look to all available exit points, weighing up if it was worth the risk of drawing attention to himself if he tried to move.

Ian, of course, knows where this was coming from. Ned, who hadn't moved away after all, had come into the store a few days ago looking for Ian, asking if Mickey was really what the red-head wanted to settle for or if they could start up again. Fancy hotel rooms and expensive gifts all inclusive.

"I don't know what you're talking... I mean... Yes he came into the store... But Mick I told you about that, I told him to fuck off and he left... Nothing happened Mickey!" Ian yelled back, a mixture of being desperate to convince the other boy and mad at him for being able to think these things in the first place, for not trusting him.

"Oh, I'm supposed to believe that...? What with you acting fucking strange everyday since?"

Ian shot out of his seat, "I haven't been acting fucking strange Mickey..."

"Oh no?" The black-haired boy shouted back. "He come see you again today? Get you so shook up, fucking flustered, you forgot all about work? Surprised you came back here though, back to simple little me when big old sugar daddy over there probably had some nice fancy ass hotel room ready and waiting for you!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you Mickey?" The younger boy hurled himself toward his lover, needing to touch him, to show him the electricity that still coursed through them at the feel of each others skin, but again Mickey shrugged him off.

"What? You god damn denyin' it Gallagher?"

"There's nothing to deny Mickey, there is fucking nothing going on?"

"Well I don't see you offering up any other excuses why you charged back here early without even fucking realising you had some place else to be. Why you ran straight up to the god damn bathroom, what? He get cum on your hands, had to wash it off before anyone saw the evidence?"

Lip gagged at the imagery as Ian clenched his fists at his side. "You're fucking paranoid!" He spat out.

"Yeah?" Mickey snarled, "Just cause a guy's paranoid it don't mean they're not out to get him!"

"Oh fuck you," the red-head spat. "Your paranoid and fucking jealous, and stupid... and..."

"And you're fucking lying to me!"

"It wasn't Ned!" Ian fired back with all the energy he could muster. "It was fucking Clayton... Again... With more fucking money... Only this time I fucking took it OK!" Ian deflated and sunk back down on the couch.

Mickey smiled instantly and sat next to him, bumping the red-head with his shoulder. "Now, was that so difficult?"

Ian gaped, wide-eyed and furious, at the Milkovich boy he loved.

"Oh you're scary good!" Lip murmured from his seat, staring between Ian and Mickey, hands still braced on the arms of his chair ready to flee at any moment.

"Oh come on, you wanted to tell me really," Mickey laughed, bumping Ian's shoulder again when the younger boy just continued his death glare.

"You fucking... That... You... Fucking tricked me?" Ian asked incredulously.

"Listen, we both know you wanted to get it off your chest, but you'd probably worked yourself up so fucking much about it that you weren't gonna say shit, so I just helped you along."

"Aha!" Lip laughed from beside the pair, he shook his head and smiled as Ian continued to look around in disbelief of what just happened.

"I can't believe you fucking manipulated me!" The youngest boy finally said, scoffing and looking back to Mickey.

"Honestly, I can't believe you fell for it," Mickey retorted humourously, taking a swig from Ian's forgotten about beer. "I might be a paranoid, jealous, stupid son of a bitch but give me some credit Firecrotch," he smiled.

Ian looked to the boy he loved and finally let himself laugh. As if for the first time figuring out that he couldn't get anything passed the stubborn, pain in the ass, utterly obnoxious, completely gorgeous, annoyingly perceptive and effortlessly brilliant Mickey Milkovich. He shook his head and smiled, looking down at the table for the beer he just remembered he had and now desperately needed a swig of.

"What I don't get is what the big fucking deal is, so you took the money this time. It was yours to take Firecrotch." Mickey stated matter-of-factly.

Looking round at his lover, Ian noticed where his beer now was and rolled his eyes. He grabbed the bottle from Mickey's hands and raised it to his mouth, scoffing again when he saw the smile that graced the older boys lip when Ian noticed the bottle was now empty. The red-head just leaned forward and pilfered Lip's beer, that had been left on the table when the older boy had debated fleeing the room like the coward he professed not to be. Sure Lip protested, throwing muffled threats and swear words at his younger brother, but he made no move to reclaim the beer or go and get himself another one, so Ian just drank and savored the taste, knowing this conversation was not over.

"So?" Mickey, prompted, as if on cue. "Gonna explain or I gotta find summit else to pretend to be pissed off about?"

"It really is nothing..." Ian started to say.

"What do you mean you fucked my sister?" Mickey shouted loudly, scrunching a fist at Ian.

"Alright, Jesus Mick!" Ian laughed back, raising his hand to placate the older boy. "I just... Last time he tried to give it to me I was so sure that I was doing the right thing saying no, the selfless thing, right? I mean he has a proper kid of his own, whats he giving me money for? And why do I deserve it any more than anyone else in this house, hell this whole neighbourhood?"

"Jesus," Mickey exclaimed, "Everyone's a fucking martyr." He continued, shaking his head and looking at nothing in particular. "Why do people gotta assume that the right thing to do is the selfless thing to do?"

Lip laughed again at the words he hadn't expected to hear from the young Milkovich. "Very Deep Mickey, very philosophical." He remarked back.

"Yeah fuck you! How's this for philosophical?" Mickey retorted, throwing another building block that hit its target dead on and raising his middle finger at the other boy.

"He has a point though bruv," Lip turned to face his brother and smiled a warming smile. "So you took the money, big deal, it's the least that son of a bitch coulda done for you, considering he left you in the care of Monica and Frank. And so what if he didn't know about you from the get go, we tracked him down what? 3 years ago? And nothing? No interest what so ever in his first son, his son who was still living in the care of his fuck up of a brother? No fuck him, man, the least the prick could give you was some money to help ease the pain of growing up with Frank as a dad." Lip smiled at the last bit, obviously trying to draw a smile from his little brother too. Ian did smile at that, a small fleeting gesture almost missed by both of the other boys in the room.

"That it?" Mickey asked skeptically.

"No..." Ian sighed heavily. "I may have fucked up."

Lip and Mickey both shifted to face the younger boy, leaning their heads down and raising their eyebrows, imploring him to elaborate.

Ian exhaled and started his explanation. "Ya know that place we saw, that we only went along to cause that prick of an agent acted like it was too damn good for street scum like us?" Both boys nodded in succession, keeping silent to let Ian continue with his explanation. "Well the place was fucking perfect, you said it yourself," he said, pointing to his favourite street thug, "Said it reminded you of the place you walked past with Mandy when she was a kid, the one she made you promise to buy for her one day."

"I know the fucking story Gallagher, I told it to you remember." He stated light-heartedly, urging the younger boy on when he got lost in his thoughts for a moment or so.

"Well it was a couple of days or so ago that he came back to the store, I told him to stick his money, I kept saying no and he just kept pushing, so I just kinda snapped, told him if he wanted to do something, repair the damage... Ya know... Give me something I needed but couldn't have because he decided I wasn't worth the trouble when I was a kid... Well I shoved the leaflet for that place at him and told him he could give me that. If he wanted to buy my forgiveness to ease his guilt, well that was the price." Ian breathed deeply and scanned the faces of the two boys in the room.

Mickey just stared at his lover, needing to know how this story ended before he was willing to react. Lip, on the other hand, was already going through all possible scenarios and reacting to them in his head.

"Well he left," Ian said sharply. "He scurried away again and I really thought it was over..."

"But it wasn't?" Lip asked stupidly, unwilling to believe any more could have come out of it.

"Nope, he came back today... With the fucking deed to the place!"

"What?" Mickey asked, just as stupidly, also unwilling to accept this turn of events.

"I mean, it's not that simple, of course, he didn't just buy the god damn house and hand it over..." Ian continued, trying to remember the specifics when his mind was swimming with possibility as well as uncertainty. "I mean the place was a shit hole, building wise, what was it the guy said... 'A fixer upper'... So I guess he didn't shell out much for it. A hell of a lot more than we could afford though, hence why we decided to rent."

"You're babbling Gallagher, I know what we decided, I was there remember? What the fuck did he do?" Mickey was at a loss, didn't know whether to be angry or worried, pleased or excited or just plain confused.

"He bought the place, offered to give it to me, put my name on the deed."

"What?" Lip exclaimed, this shit didn't happen to South Side scum like them, it didn't happen to Gallaghers, they weren't just handed houses because they wanted them.

"Yeah, he said I would have to pay him back everything except the amount that was in the envelope he wanted to give me, so effectively we'd be paying rent on the place for like... ever!" He spoke directly to Mickey, gesturing between them with an outstretched palm while the other boy just breathed and tried to take this in.

"Plus, he said he'd shown the place to a contractor and it really does need a lot of work and that's all on us. Either we gotta do it ourselves or hire someone else, he doesn't care which."

"How much was in the envelope?" Lip asked the question Mickey was still too anxious to.

"15 grand," Ian stated calmly.

"15 fucking grand? What the hell, he that fucking loaded?"

"Apparently he part owned a garage and the house next to it. Him and his partner had a falling out, so he sold him his half. Got the fucker to pay twice what it was worth just to stop him from selling to this big property developer who was scooping up places all over the neighbourhood. Clayton was, apparently, majority shareholder so he held all the cards."

"Ian that house was like 80 grand, even with the 15 off you're gonna owe this asshole a lot of money." Lip interjected again, leaning forward on his chair and suddenly craving a beer again.

"73 at auction, yeah I know..." Ian replied softly, shaking his head and breathing into his knees as he looked to the carpet.

"His wife OK with that much money magically going missing? She gonna be OK later when she finds out he's getting money from you every month?" Mickey finally spoke, his voice was resigned somehow, like he had accepted this was too good to be true.

"She was there actually, today, when he came in, he spun her some tale about me blackmailing him. Told her I was threatening to tell that kid of theirs all about his daddy's affair."

"Fucking asshole... She buy that?" Lip asked, keeping up the questions as Mickey seemed unable to do so.

"Nah I don't think so, I guess she gets it after all..." He added quietly.

"What?" Lip returned, not getting the reference back to the their first meeting with Frank's do gooder brother.

"Never mind," the youngest boy breathed out, melancholy threatening to overpower his already shattered emotions.

"So what did you do? You said you fucked up?" Ian looked to his older brother with eyes that begged him not to judge, to understand.

"I took the deed." Ian replied simply. "I took it!" He reiterated, looking to Mickey for approval, hoping to see something in his face that said he had done the right thing. "That's what I took upstairs to stash, the 'evidence' I had to hide." He said with a forced smile to try and lighten the mood.

"OK," again it was Lip who answered, "So you've got a place to live, hey you practically OWN a fucking house!" Emotions were building in the older Gallagher faster than he could control, everything from excitement to anger to desperation and sadness, he tried to hide the majority of these from his eyes, to show his younger brother only the positives.

"Yeah," Ian whispered, still looking to Mickey for a reaction. "If we want it."

"Why wouldn't you want it Ian, it's all the pair of you have been talking about for weeks, or what? You suddenly changed your minds, wanna live here with us forever?"

Mickey snorted but still didn't say anything. Ian sighed and looked back to the floor, remembering all the reasons why this was wrong and selfish and unfair.

"I coulda just taken the money Lip... If I was gonna take something from him, it coulda just been that, then I coulda done the right thing and shared it out between everyone... Shared the fucking wealth," Ian added with a humorless smile. "But what did I do? I said no to the money but yes to the house, the house that only benefits me, after everything you've all done for me I just brushed you guys aside and thought of myself."

"Hey Ian," Lip rushed to his brother's side and sat down, putting an arm around the red-heads shoulder and squeezing him against himself. "Screw that, you did a good thing, he wasn't offering anything to us, it was you he wanted to give something to Ian and so you took it... Cause you're not an idiot and if someone offers you a deal that good then you damn well take it, I woulda done, Fi too if she had the chance."

"But why do I deserve the chance and not you guys?"

"Because you're the strongest person I ever met, you forgive too easily and worry too much about every god damn body but yourself and you dealt with all of Franks bullshit and still protected the son of a bitch when I wanted him gone. Because you're stubborn and try harder than anybody, you give more than you take and you ask nothing from nobody. There is a list a mile long Gallagher but it doesn't matter how many times anyone says it, you ain't gonna believe a word so the question isn't why but what? As in what happens now cause I sure as shit ain't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. I don't care who this asshole is, he's a means to a fucking end. And so fucking what if the place is a mess, and we gotta pay it off for the rest of our lives, we were gonna have to do that anyway and whatever we can't fix ourselves I can just blackmail Chubbs and his crew to do."

"Wow, he speaks!" Lip shouted with glee, smiling when he turned to Ian and saw the grin splitting the young boys face, instant reassurance just because of a couple of words from Mickey.

"You're OK with it?" Ian asked breathlessly, hoping beyond hope that this was all really happening, excited for the first time, feeling like he was finally allowed to be. He was allowed to be looking forward to his future with the man he loved.

Mickey just laughed and nodded, perhaps still in shock but finally breaking free to join the younger boy in celebration of their future. Immediately Ian rose from his seat and positioned himself in Mickey's lap, straddling the older boy and kissing him with all the gusto he could manage. Lip suddenly re-found his interest in the TV set as Ian and Mickey laughed and smiled into a kiss that devoured them. Ripped open their frayed nerves and eclipsed all of their doubts. Ian moaned frantically as Mickey pulled back, cupping Ian's face with his hands.

"God damn you Mickey, I love you so fucking much, please, I just need to hear you say it!" Ian pleaded, unrelenting smile still firmly in place. Desperate and happy, pleasure encapsulating his whole body at the all over contact with the older boy.

"Jesus Christ Gallagher," Mickey breathed between kissing his red-head again, grabbing his hair forcefully as he pulled him back so their foreheads were pressed together. "I'm more than fucking OK with it," he smiled. Already imagining the feel of their own place, just the two of them together with the freedom to just be. To just exist together with no limits and no distractions.

The moment was broken, however, with the sudden slamming of the Gallagher front door.

"More than OK with what?" Fiona asked as she walked into the house with Vee and Debbie at her side, all carrying the grocery shopping that Lip had promised, and then forgotten, to do.

"Shit," was her echoed reply.


	17. Breaking the News

"Ohh, now that doesn't sound good," Fiona sighed, dropping her bags and spinning on the spot, facing back to her brothers and Mickey, hands on her hips and face serious, demanding an explanation.

"No, it's OK!" Lip all but yelled back, standing with his arms pleadingly up in the air.

Ian stood from his seat on Mickey's lap and turned to his big sister with a solemn smile. "Fi," he started weakly, "I've got something to tell you."

"Yeah, I figured..." Was her immediate response.

Vee scurried back from where she had dumped her bags in the kitchen, picking up the 2 Fiona had dropped by her feet and running them to the kitchen quickly, with a shout of "Oooo, wait, don't start without me!"

Ian looked down to Mickey, who raised himself to his feet and stood slightly behind Ian, his hand automatically finding its usual resting place on the red-heads lower back.

"2 seconds!" Came a hurried shout from the kitchen, that was followed by a muffled 'Shit' and a loud thump. Moments later Vee was running back into the room with what looked like water coating the front of her shirt and an apologetic smile. "Carry on," she implored with a smile and a wave of her hand towards Ian, Vee took a seat on the stairs next to where Debbie had stopped the second she had heard her brothers announcement.

"Ummm... OK, don't freak out..." Ian started again, despite knowing that wasn't the best way to start an explanation because Fi was put instantly on edge when she heard those words. "Did someone come here looking for me a little while ago, older guy, ginger hair?"

Fiona scoffed at the blatant subject change but, seeing the look on her younger brother's face, she just rolled her eyes and decided to humour him for now. "Yeah, said Monica gave him this address, why? What he want with you? He something to do with this?" She asked fiercely, making sure Ian didn't forget the topic at hand.

"He's Frank's brother!" Ian shouted before he lost his nerve. "My biological father!"

Debbie clamped her hands over her mouth and stared at Ian in disbelief. Fiona stood glued to the spot, knowing she needed to say something, anything, but not knowing for the life of her what. Luckily that's what best friends are for.

"Congratulations," she announced cheerily. "Not Frank's son, eh, I thought he just said that to piss Fi off." Vee leaned back on the stairs behind her and scanned the faces of the room.

"But..." Debbie started tearfully.

"I'm still your brother." Ian shot out instantly. "Nothings changed, nothings different between us," he reaffirmed, staring at his younger sister and just daring her to challenge him. Instead, Debbie just closed her eyes and nodded.

Turning his eyes back to the eldest Gallagher, Ian continued his explanation. "Remember when Monica came back with the big butch tank of a woman who demanded Liam go live with them?" The young red-head looked to his sister for confirmation she was following what he was saying, after a quick nod from Fi, Ian breathed again. "Well she wanted DNA to prove Liam wasn't Franks, it kinda got me and Lip thinking so we did the test on ourselves too. Don't think we expected anything to come of it, he was just giving me shit again so it was kinda like a pipe dream... Ya know... Prove we weren't Frank's kids." Ian laughed a short and stifled laugh and ran his hand across his face.

For her part, Fiona just kept looking into the eyes of her younger brother, trying to convey that he was right, that nothing changed, she loved him as much now as ever, that she loved him as much as their other siblings.

"Well turns out I'm really not Frank's son, but DNA said it was close, had to be a relative of Frank's, probably a brother. So we tracked down his brothers and went to meet 'em, see if we could figure it out. As soon as we met Clayton... Well, mystery solved," he snorted, remembering his first thought when the older man had opened the door all those years ago. "Well he knew instantly who we were, why we were there... And as it turns out he wanted as little to do with me as I did him so it all just became irrelevant, meaningless." Ian smiled again at Debbie, hoping to convey just how unimportant biology was to him and when the younger girl returned his gesture, and looked genuinely un-phased with the developments, Ian turned his attention back to his oldest sibling.

Fiona relaxed under Ian's casual gaze, honestly believing it wasn't a big deal, knowing nothing had changed but a title that was irrelevant now anyway, as she was their legal guardian.

"Why was he here? Something to do with Monica?" She asked quietly, praying silently that their god damn mother hadn't dragged Ian into something out of spite and revenge for them turning her away.

"I dunno how he ended up getting the address from her, was nothing to do with Monica, thank god," Ian explained, grateful for the sudden atmosphere change. The tension in everyone's posture seemed to lesson at the realisation that everything really was OK. "He wanted to give me money, said it was all he could do for me, said it was bribery to ease his guilt." Ian laughed humorlessly and looked around to Mickey so he could glimpse the smile he knew could give him the strength he needed to finish this conversation. Mickey did smile at his lover, and scoff, and roll his eyes at Ian's blatant kicked puppy expression. Then he decided it was his turn to speak.

"Gallagher here told him to stick his money, or better yet spend it on his real son and only son." Mickey announced, voice dripping with pride at the memory of Ian's strength, at his utter refusal to see the man as anything but a stranger, even though having a North side dad would have its advantages.

Fiona smiled a genuine smile and looked to her red-haired younger sibling, he raised his head and returned her gaze, eyes only going solemn again when he remembered the story didn't end there. Following her brothers reaction, Fiona's expression too became cautious and weary, willing one of the boys in the room to explain.

"It was a good thing," she practically shouted when memory returned to her and none of the boys spoke. "You said you were more than OK with it, whatever this is it's a good thing so out with it!" She smiled encouragingly, trying to convey that she really wouldn't judge.

"I said no to the money but he kept pushing until I yelled at him to buy me a house and then he left and I thought it was over but it wasn't because a few days later, today in fact, he came back to the store with the deeds to the house and offered me the deeds if we fixed it up and payed him back in rent." He blurted out without a single breath between words, eyeing Fiona curiously for her reaction.

The eldest Gallagher sibling just drew her head back to try to process the barrage of information, then she scoffed out a laugh and smiled at her younger brother. "Come again?"

"I took the deal Fi." Ian said quietly, not sure if he even really wanted her to hear.

"Oh," she whispered back when she finally understood all that had been said. "Shit." She echoed the boys first words after her entrance.

Ian was desperate for acceptance from his older sister, to know she was OK with this, but he didn't want to force it out of her, he didn't want to rush her. So the red-head simply learned further into Mickey's touch and bit at his lower lip, waiting patiently for Fiona to say something.

Vee stayed silent too, even though all she wanted to do was yell congratulations for the second time that afternoon, only this time it couldn't be more genuine, and run to hug her brother from another fucked up, white trash, mother. But, like Ian, she knew that Fi needed time to process this first. Debbie also held off her response in favour of keeping the peace with Fiona, she was ecstatic for Ian, she wanted to ask all sorts of questions. What was the house like? How often can I visit? How much work needs doing? Can I stay over on school nights? Can we build a pool? How many rooms has it got and do you have a spare one for me?

After moments that felt like hours Fi finally snapped out of her trance. "No!" She said to no one in particular. "Jesus Ian, no way!"

Ian felt the lump in his throat drop to his stomach, which seemed to drop further still until he felt sick and almost lost all the strength in his legs. Mickey just braced his shoulder with the hand that wasn't still attached to his back, now rubbing soft calming circles into his skin. Before anyone else could interject Fiona carried on talking.

"No I'm sorry Ian, I love you and it's not that I won't miss you because I will and I want you to be happy an' all but I can't let you take Mickey out of this house!" She stated matter of factly, her hands still firmly attached to her hips. Understanding and relief seemed to wash over everyone in the room as Fiona continued her rant. "Finally, we have someone who not only CAN but DOES fix things around here. The washing machine works, the kettle works, the oven door stays attached and the microwave doesn't hiss. Both toilets flush and the light in the hall doesn't flutter when you walk under it and... the fridge... the sink..." Fiona motioned around the house with her hands, pointing at all the things the Milkovich had fixed out of sheer boredom every time Ian had left him alone for more than 5 minutes, which admittedly wasn't that often. "And Carl. Jesus, even Carl listens to him. God imagine what he'll be like when Mickey leaves... No I'm sorry but Mickey's the only one Carl listens to so when you move you'll just have to take Carl with you." Ian blurted out a quick laugh when Fiona glared at him to show how serious she was. "But then Debbie will go mad if Carl gets a new house and she is stuck here so she'll have to go too, only fair right? But then who'll look after Liam... Nope Liam's just gonna have to go as well... Sorry Ian, no way round it." Another laugh, this time from Lip. "Lip!" Fi shouted, "He's hardly ever home these days! No point me living in this big old place all by myself, paying rent to that asshole Patrick, so I might as well come live with you ya know, help pay your rent instead. Lip will just crash there whenever he's not... wherever it is he goes. But then we'd be quite far from Kev and Vee, and I don't think any of us want that so we'll just have to find room for them too!"

Silence descended on the house once Fiona stopped speaking. Ian's eyes were wide and Mickey was looking humorously horrified. Lip was smirking and Debbie, well Debbie looked a mixture of contemplative and hopeful. Vee rolled her eyes and scoffed, making the first real sound since Fi's words had stopped, all eyes were fixed on the Gallagher woman in the centre of the room. For her part Fiona just looked impressed. She looked serious. Vee's scoff, however, broke her façade and Fi's mouth grew into the widest smile Ian had seen on her for a long time. Fiona laughed as she stepped towards Ian, a motion he mirrored until he could envelop her into a massive hug, which Debbie instantly joined in on. Vee, too, jumped to her feet and ran to the huddle of limbs now in the middle of the room, with a muffled 'ah go on then' as she attached herself to the human pile up. Lip just laughed as he picked Liam up and ran to join in, at the last-minute though, he turned to the Milkovich in the room.

"Not a fucking chance!" Was all the tattooed boy said before crossing his arms over his chest, an unwanted smile refusing to leave his lips.

"I'm so happy for you buddy, gonna miss you but I'm so damn happy for you." Fiona muffled from deep inside of the circle.

 

-x-

 

"OK kiddo, we got something to tell you, just try not to get upset." Fi had sat Carl down at the table as soon as he bounded into the house with a sling shot and a black eye.  
Mickey was sat at the counter in the middle of the kitchen with Lip next to him and Ian in front, also at the table. Vee had taken Debbie to get some celebratory goodies from  
the store and Liam was tottering about in his high chair, colouring in Debbie's homework.

"I didn't do it!" Carl protested immediately, looking straight to Mickey.

"Relax kid, you're not on trial... Yet." The Milkovich assured him, rolling his eyes and leaning back with his elbows on the counter top.

"OK?" Was all the youngster managed before turning his gaze to Fiona.

"Ian and Mickey are moving out!" She shouted in one breath, Carl's eyes widened and he instantly turned to his red-head brother. Ian, rolled his eyes and turned to Fi, hunching his shoulders and shaking his head.

"What, like ripping off a band-aid right?" She muttered, eyes wide as she took an innocent sip of her beer and pointedly avoided Ian's stare. When her younger sibling didn't remove his eyes from hers, nor soften his expression, Fiona scoffed and defensively added, "Oh what? Cause the way you told me was much more eloquent."

"Big word Fi, your new boss teach you that?" Lip quipped, trying to lighten the mood, no malice or judgement, just sarcasm in his voice. They all knew that Jimmy had been distant since the latest developments with his father and it was becoming a running joke among the group that Fi should just elope with her new boss, 'cause at least his money is legal and steady, he could set you up for life sis', the fact that he was a giant bore just made the joke funnier.

Silently thanking his brother for the moment of reprieve Ian opened his eyes to find Carl's gaze still firmly on him, a questioning look that he could no longer ignore. He inhaled a deep breath and prepared his answer...

"Yup, we're moving out, got a problem with that?" But he was beaten to it by Mickey. Three sets of eyes rolled at Mickey's lack of tact, but the sentiment worked as Carl was knocked from his daze.

"What? No problem." He protested, sitting up sharply and acting ever the grown up he tried to be around his hero.

"Really?" Mickey asked again, "Cause you're acting kinda odd their kid."

"I'm not doing anything!" Carl whined back, folding his arms but refusing to slump against the table.

"Exactly," Mickey countered, dislodging his elbows and leaning forward towards the youngster in front of him. "You should be going bat shit by now!"

Lip glared at Mickey while Fi shook her head and looked back to Carl, Ian just smiled and looked down at the table, lost in thoughts of their future home and how he couldn't wait to start their life together.

"Should I?" Carl piped up again, sounding confused and a little cautious.

"Fucking right you should!" Mickey jumped from his stool and leaned down onto the table next to Ian. "Debbie did," he continued, knowing how to press Carl's buttons.

"She did?" Was all the youngster said but the sudden energy and glint in his eye had everyone immediately aware how close he was to finally reacting.

"Course she did, asking shit about the house, how often she can visit... She's already planned what colour she's painting her damn room."

That got a reaction.

"What? She gets a room! What about me? Do I get a room?" Carl was on his feet in an instant, hands flying everywhere as he tried to articulate just how unfair this whole thing was.

"You want a room?" Ian asked with a smile.

"Course I do!" Carl shouted back incredulously. "And I want first pick!"

"Fuck that, you pay rent you get first pick!" Mickey scoffed with a smile on his face, "You choose after me kid."

Carl bounded around the room excitedly, spurting questions like how soon can you move in? I can paint my room black right? Ooo can we have a house-warming party? Can Little Hank come? Oh that reminds me, Fi, Little Hanks coming round for dinner OK? And with that he ran up the stairs two at a time so he could go sort out which of his possessions he was gonna let Mickey keep safe for him.

"Well that went well." Fiona exclaimed when they heard Carl slam the bedroom door above them. She smiled when she realised that for once she could say that without any sarcasm.

"I know you were joking Fi but I think Carl might actually be moving in." Ian laughed as he stood to face Mickey. "Thanks for that," he said quietly to the older boy.

Mickey just nodded and reaffirmed that he was brilliant and that it couldn't be helped.

"You're good with him," Fiona added sincerely, pointing to Mickey as she stood and turned to follow Carl's lead and head up the stairs. "You got any tips, just let me know." She said with an honest smile.

Ian smiled his brightest smile as he watched his sister ascend the stairs, turning back to his lover when she finally disappeared from view, and kissing him quickly before the older boy could protest.

"Dude," Lip piped up, resting his hand on Ian's shoulder to get both boys attention. "How many bedrooms does that place actually have?"

"Fuck knows, like 2 maybe." Mickey answered uncertainly, looking to Ian for confirmation.

"Nah it might have 3," the younger boy responded, obviously hopeful more than anything.

"Good luck with that." Lip laughed happily, tapping Ian's shoulder and turning to leave the Gallagher house.

"Where you going? Deb's will kill you if..." Ian started to ask.

"I'm going off to wherever it is that I go," the sarky teen asserted with a smirk, "I'll be back for the party, and I'll bring the weed!" He shouted back through the closing door behind him.

"Jesus Christ Gallagher, I know my families fucked up but yours is..." Mickey pinched his eyes closed as he searched for the right word, bringing his hands to rest on Ian's waist as the red-head placed his own hands on the ex-cons shoulders. "Exhausting."

"Yeah but you'll miss 'em," the younger boy said happily.

"God damn it, you might be right. Jesus Ian, you turned me into a fucking sap." The older boy shuddered but showed no real discomfort as he looked away from his partners eyes and turned his head to face the floor.

"Hey," Ian said back as he placed his hand on Mickey's chin and slowly lifted his head back up to face him, "I promise, I can be just as exhausting when we're finally living alone..." He breathed against his lovers lips with a suggestive wink.

"Oh yeah?" Mickey responded, pulling Ian impossibly closer, "That a threat Gallagher?" The tattooed boy lowered his hands to grip at Ian's ass, thrusting their groins together, "Or a promise?"

All Ian could do was groan at the contact as Mickey darted his head in for another kiss, a kiss that led to hands exploring bodies. Exploration that led to deeper kissing, which led to more specific hand movements, which led to more moaning and more friction and more longing and...

Instant separation as the kitchen door flung open and once again the boys were interrupted by a Gallagher girl and their neighbour with bags of shopping.

Ian didn't hesitate as he grabbed Mickey's wrist and dragged him toward the stairs.

"Where are you going? You not gonna help?" Debbie all but yelled as the young boys frantically climbed the steps.

"I'm exhausted," Ian yelled back as Mickey laughed.

"Yeah, I'ma help him relax," the black-haired boy announced boldly, much to Ian's false chagrin.

"Lip's just popped out for more supplies, he'll be back for the party!" Ian shouted quickly as he reached the top of the stairs and all but shoved Mickey into their temporary room, where his mouth instantly reattached itself to the older boys.

"But we've got all the supplies," Debbie protested from her spot at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the spot her brother had just disappeared from.

"Yeah not those kinda supplies darlin'" Vee said from next to the kitchen table where she was unpacking the party bags.

Debbie just rolled her eyes and joined her neighbour.

 

-x-

 

"This isn't happening too fast for you?" Ian asked quietly as both boys struggled to catch their breath, lying naked on top of the sheets because it was too damn hot not to.

Mickey looked sideways into Ian's thoughtful eyes but said nothing.

"I'm not having second thoughts Mick," Ian affirmed quickly, because god knows he wasn't. This, like every other day with Mickey by his side, honestly felt like the best day of his life. "It's just... A lot has happened to you these last few months. Not so long ago you couldn't even tell your sister about us, now every one knows and you're about to move in with me and..."

"And what? You think I wanna pussy out now?" Mickey asked matter-of-factly.

"Mick, it's just..." Ian huffed as he rolled onto his side and rested his hand on the warm expanse of Mickey's chest. "Back when everyone found out about all this you asked if it was enough. That day in the living room when Lip was yelling about West Point and we... I... accidentally outed you to my whole family... You couldn't give me anything but 'something' Mick and you asked if it was enough."

"I remember Gallagher, you said it was." Mickey tried not worry about where this was going and where it was going to end, but the look in Ian's eyes told him that there was potential for this conversation to end bad and he knew he couldn't handle that. Everything was OK as long as he and Ian were OK and honestly he didn't get where this was coming from because he thought that their dreams had just come true.

Ian flung himself at his lover and kissed him deep, trying to reassure him that he didn't want this to end badly either. "It was enough," he gasped as he hesitantly parted lips with the boy now beneath him. "Dammit Mickey it IS enough!" He said, followed by another deep kiss that had Mickey wrapping his arms around Ian's waist and refusing to let go.

"But since then Mickey you haven't just given me 'something', you've given me fucking everything and I just... I didn't want to rush you... Something was enough, I would have waited, Mick... Forever if I had to..." Ian was lost in the eyes of the boy beneath him, not even trying to pull back further as his hand brushed through the thick black hair of the boy he loved.

"What you think I planned this?" Mickey scoffed, "I did all of this to keep you happy?" He looked into Ian's eyes honestly and said "I ain't that fucking selfless Gallagher."

"Mick..."

"Nah I mean it," Mickey said quickly, kissing the boy above him quickly then watching until he opened his eyes. "I did all this cause I wanted to, I didn't mean to rush anything Gallagher and when I said all that shit I honestly thought that 'something' was all I had. I didn't even know I had given you more."

"I guess sometimes," Ian smiled against Mickey's lips, "Something really is everything, huh."

"Serious Firecrotch, I dare you, be more fucking gay." But both boys just laughed as Mickey leaned up to kiss his fiery red-head until they lost all train of thought other than how much they still, after all these years, wanted nothing except each other. How much they couldn't help but love each other with every ounce of themselves and that this really was all happening naturally, with both boys just as eager as the other to keep this going, to keep moving forward together.

"I love you!" Mickey all but whined when the kiss finally broke so the boys could breath. "Everything is all there's ever been with you." And being so open like this Mickey couldn't help sound quiet and insecure, even though he knew without a doubt that the feelings were returned, it was a lifetime habit he was breaking every time he showed this kind of feeling. It was a long road but he was trying, and he was winning.

"With us!" Ian amended as he grabbed hold of Mickey's neck and head, lifting him up to meet his lips again. "And I fucking love you too!"


	18. The Gallagher/Milkovich House

The next day saw all of the Gallaghers, Kev, Vee, two Milkovichs and one little Hank, rushing out of the door after a half assed clean up of the Gallagher home.

"Come on!" Carl screamed from in front of the mostly hung over rabble.

"Jesus Carl relax, the house ain't going nowhere," Lip whined back.

"You have got the key right?" Carl yelled over his shoulder as he carried on his hurried march to the new Gallagher/Milkovich household.

"Yeah I got the key..." Ian yelled back, voice laced with both affection and exasperation. He may have been the most hung over of the group.

"Not that it'd matter if he didn't," Mandy laughed, "When has not having a key ever stopped Mickey getting in to someplace."

Little Hank's face lit up as everyone else seemed to nod their agreement. Mickey, though was too busy whispering (unnecessarily loudly - and really whats the point in whispering if your gonna be so loud anyway...) taunting remarks into Ian's ear. "Hows the head Firecrotch?", "The things you did with that bottle, Gallagher, my god!", "Do your family know the filth that comes outta your mouth when you get going?", "Oh, I'm sorry Gallagher, you feeling a bit delicate there? You got a bitty hangover?" Ian had made the mistake very early on in the evening to challenge Mickey to see who could handle their alcohol better. Well that's not strictly true, Lip had seen Mickey drunk several times since he had moved in with them, seemingly after drinking next to nothing, and assumed the ex con couldn't hold his liquor. Upon challenging him to a drinks race Lip had soon realised that Mickey had, in fact, got a very high tolerance for alcohol and that what he had previously assumed was a drunk Mickey was actually just a happy, un-tensed, Mickey. Needless to say that Mickey had won the drink off, with Lip spewing into the downstairs sink and vowing to stick to smokes for the rest of the night. The eldest Gallagher boy had then turned to his younger brother to reclaim the Gallagher honour and set up a new battle between Ian and Mickey. The red-head was not worried about losing, he had a pretty high tolerance himself and Mickey had already downed many a pint in order to out do his brother, so Ian rose to the challenge and matched Mickey drink for drink for the first hour. Unfortunately, although he hadn't had as many or drank what he had had as fast as Mickey, he had himself been drinking whilst Lip and the Milkovich boy were embroiled in their alcohol war. And although he fought honorably during his part of the battle for alcoholic supremacy, he had to concede, two hours and one very spinning head in, that he had underestimated Mickey's ability to drink and so, after his own stint of throwing up in the downstairs bathroom, he admitted defeat and passed out on the sofa.

The next morning had seen Mickey too smug and cocky from his victory to admit to his own hangover as he proceeded to mock and annoy the Gallagher siblings for theirs. Mandy had handled hers the least gracefully, she nearly punched Kev in the face for asking her if one coffee would be enough over breakfast... It wasn't. Fiona had unsuccessfully banned talking from the kitchen when she stumbled down the stairs entirely too early, hoping to beat the morning rush. Unfortunately the morning started twice as early for Debbie, Carl and Hank due to the excitement of getting to see Ian and Mickey's new home. Kev, who had initially insisted on staying sober so as not to leave Vee the only sober person there, had had one or two shots to egg on the warring families, only to have one or two more to 'show them how its done', then considerably more 'one or two mores' as the night continued. His head may not be aching as much as the oldest Gallagher's were but with the constant prodding by his better half, who was, on reflection, more than happy to have been the only one sober last night, he was fighting valiantly not to be sick.

Jimmy had once again been missing from the festivities of the previous evening, Fiona, as always, had nothing to say on the matter and everyone else pretended not to notice, except Mickey and Mandy, who really didn't care. Although to be honest, Lip, Ian, Vee and Kev only cared because Fiona did, not because they gave a shit about what Jimmy was doing. No one batted an eyelid, either, when he strolled in during breakfast and asked why everyone was up so early, he just accepted Deb's invitation to come along and walked silently next to, but not a part of, the crowd of marching Gallaghers, Milkovichs, their neighbours, and Hank.

So over-anxious to get there was Carl that he missed Ian's yell that it was the next house on the left and continued to walk straight passed it until Little Hank ran to him and bashed him, probably a tad unnecessarily hard, over the head to get his attention.

The house was like most others in the South Side, outwardly it was nothing special, in fact it was a dump. Faded white paint, turned grey with age, no longer completely covered the wooden exterior. Not entirely safe looking wooden steps led up to the cracked black front door, complete with rusty handle and half the house number missing. More trash was in this garden than what littered the Milkovich front yard. The windows didn't look like they had been cleaned since the house was built, although to be fair there was no panes of glass missing. The front gate was visibly crooked and the fence was barely keeping itself upright, the grass was severely overgrown and the flowers in the yard were all dead or dying and the roof looked about ready to join the old furniture on the ground. In short the place looked like a tired old mess, in need of more work than was worth putting into it.

But to Ian, well it was the best sight he had ever seen, it was beautiful. To him the house shimmered with possibility. In the shoddy front door he saw Mickey, taking the old, sorry plank off of its hinges and not returning it until it was perfect, re-varnished and cracks filled. In the wobbly steps he saw them both putting off the work in favour of all of the other, easier jobs. Until the day that, finally, one of them fell through them, then, together with Mickey's 'borrowed' garage tools, they would smash the old wood to pieces and craft a new set of steps that would also be perfect. In the trash and dead shrubbery that crowded the front, and undoubtedly back, yard, he saw a quick trip to the dump he could probably convince Lip and Kev to embark on, a few seeds that Debs had no doubt already planned to plant and then an eternity of BBQ's and garden parties surrounded by the people he loves. Or quiet nights staring up and the stars and trying to convince Mickey that , no, they are not star-gazing, but merely too lazy to navigate the perfectly crafted steps. And Mickey will stay by his side, despite considerable protests, because why the hell not. He sees either himself or Mickey, climbing dangerously up a ladder, yelling profanities down to the other, who obviously won some sort of coin toss or something, to not let go of the bloody thing. He imagines them slowly but surely fixing the roof until even that too is perfect. The windows may need to be replaced, but that doesn't matter because one of them will undoubtedly be owed a favour by a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who can get a hold of what they need. Or, alternatively, Mickey will go out one day and come back with everything that they need and Ian will not bother to ask how he got them - plausible denial and all that.

Roused from his musings by a hand on his shoulder, Ian looked to his side and into the deep, promising, warmth of his lovers eyes and smiled a smile so vast and genuine he just knew that Mickey's breath would hitch to see it. And hitch his breath did as he shot a quick glance to the house they now shared, before returning his eyes to Ian's and smiling a smile of his own. One that had Ian's breath hitching also, because it told him that Mickey was seeing in that old rusty waste of a building, exactly the same thing as he saw, and so both boys let out a breathless burst of laughter as Ian finally reached into his pocket for the keys.

The rest of the horde of people were waiting, almost patiently, beside the shabby metal gate, knowing how important it was to let the two boys have this moment, to be the first to enter their new home. Smiles brushed over all of their lips, through all of their eyes, as they saw the small, but powerful exchange between the young lovers. Even the youngest seem to understand the gravity of the moment, of the situation they were in now, that at one time, not so long ago, seemed so unimaginable and out of reach. So outside of the realms of possibility that now, standing as they were, watching it happen was a privilege that they were glad they hadn't missed. Even Jimmy seemed pleased to be there.

"Ready for this Mick?" Ian asked with a smile, a challenge in his quirked brow.

Mickey just rolled his eyes and snorted, pushing his Gallagher ahead of him as he opened the rickety gate. "After you, Firecrotch."

 

-x-

 

The inside of the house was no better, the tiny staircase was narrow and uneven, the walls were damp and the whole house was covered in bits of mold and crumbling plaster. The kitchen appliances were tatty and only the kettle seemed to be working. The furniture looked to be in even worse condition than the stuff in the yard outside and the house was in desperate need of a good airing out. The back door was locked shut because it hung off its hinges when open, the windows also remained closed because half of them had been painted shut and the other half were only barely attached to the frames. The wallpaper was dismal and the whole place reeked of neglect. The upstairs was dark where the lights barely flickered on, it smelt as bad as downstairs but at least had one working window. Unfortunately that wasn't the bathroom window. The bathroom window was duct taped to its frame and was stained yellow. Some of the tiles were missing, many more were cracked and the rest were tainted a different colour than they obviously started out. The bath itself seemed weirdly usable, the water worked with no shuddering, hot and cold alike, but the shower curtain was disgusting. Mickey didn't hesitate to pull the damn thing down the second he entered the room and chucked it straight down the stairs ready to join the stock pile of rubbish outside. The shower above the bath was also in a scarily good state, as was the toilet itself and the sink beside it, 'thank god for small mercies' Lip muttered upon pulling the chain and hearing the water rush down the pipes with no noticeable blockage.

There were two bedrooms upstairs, as it turned out, and after Mickey had announced the bigger of the two was off-limits, Carl and Debbie fought over who would lay claim to  
the spare. Carl huffed that Debbie got her own room at the Gallagher house whereas he had to share, so it was no fair for her to get a room to herself here as well, ergo the room should go to him.

"That's not fair, I'm a girl, course I have a room to myself!" She yelled back ferociously.

"Well why do you want a room in a house full of men then!" He protested back, thrusting his arms wildly towards his sisters chest.

"Okay enough!" Mickey shouted as he emerged from the master bedroom with yet another set of curtains he'd obviously ripped from their hangings ready to hurl down the stairs. "The whole fuckin' house needs fixin' and decorating... I know I aint painting no god damn walls, don't give a shit what colours go where... So here's the deal, one of you does up here, the other does down there..." He commanded thrusting the curtains over the banister and pointing after them. "I don't give a shit who does which so work it out between yourselves!" And with that he turned back around and trounced back into his bedroom. "And nothing gets done without it going through me first!" He added forcefully.

"Oh really?" Ian scoffed from where he was just emerging up the stairs.

Mickey reappeared to look directly at his partner before nodding aggressively. "Think I'mma let you make choices without me Gallagher? Remember when you wanted me to help paint your room green?" He visibly shuddered at the memory before adding on a disgusted, "Fucking snot green." Then smirked and disappeared again. "All decisions go through me!"

Ian just laughed in the direction of the door frame and turned to his younger siblings. "So whose coming downstairs with me? And whose staying up here with Mr Cheerful in there and the moldy old bathroom?"

Carl stood firm with his arms across his chest, glancing quickly to Little Hank for back up, who instantly mirrored his movements and both turned to glare at Debbie.

"Humph Fine!" She shouted, raising her hands into the air and storming towards where Ian was leaned on the banister, "But I get the stairway as well!"

"What? That's not fair, there's more to do downstairs!" Hank yelled back, when Carl spluttered and fell backwards dramatically, shocked at the nerve of his sister.

"You get a BEDROOM!" She retorted without a breath, and without waiting for a response, or even confirmation, she thundered down the stairs.

Ian looked after her then turned to his brother with a sympathetic smile and said as peacefully as possible. "Deb's gets the stairs but YOU get the tool shed outside." He winked at the two youngsters in front of him whooping victoriously and walked to his bedroom, that Mickey was still dismantling piece by piece.

"So Fi has sent Jimmy to get us a working fridge while her and Vee go get shit to fill it. Vee put Kev to work on emptying the yard, he's just gone to get the ice cream truck to move shit with. Lip is working on the windows and Mandy is bitchin' about being left on 'fucking cleaning duty', oh and we now have a work rota pinned to our non-working fridge."

Mickey turned to look at Ian, leaning against the door to their bedroom looking both proud and a little exhausted, and raised his eyebrows at the younger man. "Come again?" He said disbelievingly.

The red-head just laughed and stood slowly, walking towards Mickey as he spoke. "I know," he said gently, arms in the air as a peace-offering, "Apparently Deb drew it up last night and Fi just filled it in now we know what needs doing." When Mickey's eyes just widened in challenge, Ian continued. "Hey, Vee approved the thing, you wanna fight with a hormonal teenage girl, an overprotective big sister and her pregnant best friend, then be my guest, but your going it alone Milkovich... I happen to like my head attached to my body, thank you very much."

Ian carried on closing the gap between him and his lover as he spoke, Mickey just rolled his eyes and said, "Such a god damn pussy sometimes Gallagher," but his mouth twitched up into a grin as Ian finally reached out to rest his palms on Mickey's shoulders and pulled him closer still.

"Hey I got you out of clearing the trash you been throwin' down the stairs." He retorted with a smile of his own.

"My fucking hero!"

Ian just smiled at the ex-con and shrugged. "Didn't think you needed a hero," he remarked with a smirk playing at his lips.

"Good job too," Mickey whispered as he slowly lent forward to brush his lips against Ian's, "Lucky for you I got no problem taking on your weird ass family." Another soft brush of lips.

"My hero," Ian breathed, smiling. Another faint kiss.

"Well one of us gotta be the man of the house." And with that Mickey thrust their lips together and pushed Ian against the wall with a bang.

The kiss was everything a kiss between them could possibly be, had to be. It was intense and passionate, heavy and forceful. It was fierce and claiming, deep and meaningful. And it was real, and natural, and mind-blowing in its sincerity. It was all-encompassing and deeply full of promise. It was, as always, over far too quickly for both boys liking.

"This is really fucking happening Mick," Ian gasped out as he fought to regain his breath, leaning his forehead against Mickey's and clutching his hands at the back of the other boys neck. "Jesus, this is ours," he laughed as he slowly opened his eyes to see the ex-con staring at him unashamed. "Our bedroom, our house, our yard..."

"Our non-working fridge?" Mick replied shakily, but with a laugh of his own.

Ian's smile widened again as he thought back to his earlier words, how easily he had said them, 'our...'. How right they had felt without him evening noticing how new they were. Because to Ian and Mickey alike, everything had been about the two of them together since that very first time in Mickey's old bedroom at the Milkovich dungeon. Even the myriad of things done apart had been about running from and coming back to each other. Whether either boy wanted to admit it, since that day almost 4 years ago, every little thing had been 'us' and 'we' and now they also had 'our'. And with that thought in both boys heads, they leaned forward and continued the kiss that they both knew wouldn't lead to anything sexual, the place was too crowded after all, but that was OK because they weren't defined by sex anymore. They were defined by each other and the things they shared, which from here on out would just keep growing.

 

-x-

 

"You think they're gonna wait to start fucking until we clear out of here, or they going at it already?" Lip asked playfully as he continued to make measurements of all of the downstairs window frames. Watching Mandy slowly wipe away the dust from all of the mantelpieces and window ledges that made up the ground floor.

"They're not staying here tonight?" Debbie questioned immediately, horrified at the prospect.

Lip shot his head round to face his young sister, stood in the broken doorway to the kitchen, honestly he'd forgotten she was there. So wrapped up in the silence between him and his one time bed partner.

"No Deb's, but they'll probably hang around a bit after we all leave, ya know, feel the place out a bit." He responded softly, as Mandy stayed fiercely silent.

"Well Ian said he was coming back down here so..." The young Gallagher girl didn't bother to finish that line of reasoning, instead she just turned back into the kitchen and sunk on to the only sturdy chair around the frightfully unstable table and continued with her floor plan of the house.

With his young sister once again out of the room, Lip turned back to face Mandy and willed her to look at him, just a glance to ease the tension between them.

"The place may be a shit hole but I don't think I've ever seen Ian so excited about anything..." He laughed awkwardly, still not looking away from the girl pointedly not looking at him.

"He used to say he'd be the first to move out, I told him he was full of shite... Guess he showed me huh?" Another awkward laugh, to which Mandy just shrugged and mumbled a quick 'I guess', without really even acknowledging anything was actually said.

"Look Mands, we..."

"Don't call me that." Her sharp eyes shot to his for a fraction of a second before she resumed her task of completely ignoring him as she half-heartedly cleaned the living room.

He just happened to be in the living room, which is where she needed to clean, of course. The living room had to be done first obviously, Mandy wasn't craving this resolution just as much as Lip was... Or...

"Alright look, you're pissed, I get it, but Mandy... I'm not the only one at fault here, not the only bad guy, I mean, come on... You hit Karen with car!"

"You fucking used me!" She shot back, if Lip wanted a fight then she'd damn well giver him one.

"Mandy you can't just go around hitting pe..."

"No, fuck you Lip!" She turned to face him again, knuckles white from their grip on the cloth she was still holding. Lip looked at the girl in front of him, really looked at her, for the first time in a long time, maybe even ever, and finally he told himself to just shut up and listen.

"That's all I ever was to you Lip, a fucking distraction, and you had plenty of chances to walk away but you didn't... You kept coming back time and time again because I was the easy fucking choice... No matter how real it got for me, all I ever was for you was something fucking easy... So fuck you Lip. Really. Fuck you, I didn't deserve that!" But before she could turn back around to carry on the pretense of cleaning, Lip stepped calmly forward with his arms raised placating in the air.

"I fucked up alright, I know that OK? I fucked..."

"HER!" Mandy shouted back. "You fucked her. After everything she did TO you, and everything I did FOR you... You fucked her behind my back, because I was never gonna be fucking good enough, you just didn't have the balls to say it... And you didn't have the balls to leave me completely cause even then you knew she'd do it all over again, fuck you then leave you just like every time before and you wanted to keep me around as your fucking fall back!"

"Wha?... How did yo...?"

"She told me! Rang me up to tell me all about it, about you and her laughing behind my back. How I never stood a chance, how you were never gonna choose me, cause who would right? A skank, a white trash whore, a fucking Milkovich!" She took a step back as she shouted that last insult, because really what was worse than her last name, she was all too aware of what people thought of her and her family, what the oldest Gallagher and her neighbour/best friend thought of her. "So yeah, I got angry, runs in my god forsaken family. I mowed her the fuck down," she spat, trying to force a malice into her voice that wasn't there because as much as she tried not to she regretted what she had done that day because it reminded her how right every one was about who she is. "But you know what? She fucking deserved it. I might be a white trash whore Lip, but so was she, except I did everything for you, I fucking loved you, I love Ian and Deb's and Carl and Liam. She couldn't love anyone but herself, she fucked your father for gods sake, just to prove how low she could go. She messed around the life of a kid, her fucking kid, just to get what she wanted. She screwed her dad over, her mum over, your dad over, YOU over. And still you choose her so what the fuck does that say about me huh?"

Fighting back the tears Mandy turned around and scrubbed furiously at a stain that wouldn't budge, willing herself not to care about the asshole across the room.

"I ended it." Was all Lip could say to that, and he said it just loud enough for Mandy to hear, not quite loud enough to betray his own emotions, that were skyrocketing with regret and remorse at Mandy's revelation.

"What?" She shakily responded, her hands stilling on the mantelpiece.

"It took me a while Mandy, but I got it, all of it. I saw what she was, what you were, and I got it. So I ended it, told her I couldn't see her again, that I chose you. I guess she got angry," he scoffed bitterly at the thought of Karen's lashing out to Mandy, bragging bitterly in a last attempt to win a battle with the younger girl that none of them would walk away unscathed from.

"Why?" Tears fell slowly down Mandy's cheek now, "You didn't love me Lip." She proclaimed honestly, knowingly. Turning around to face the boy in front of her, to show him that wasn't up for debate.

"No..." He practically whispered, suddenly ashamed of how truly he had used the Milkovich girl. "I'm so sorry Mands."

Mandy just nodded her head as she turned back to face the mantel.

"I could have done, with time... I really was gonna take you wit..."

"Don't," the black-haired girl sighed, "Just don't OK?" She all but pleaded.

"I'm so sorry." He replied shakily, wanting to fix everything but not knowing how. "And I'm supposed to be the smart one!" He laughed bitterly, awkwardly.

For the second time that day Mandy just shrugged and tried to ignore the feeling of dread in her stomach.

"I just wanna make everything right, ya know fix it all... Make it OK?" It was Lip's turn to plead, silently asking how.

"You can't!" Mandy laughed back. "Only I can," she stated, matter-of-factly, "And I will!" She affirmed, brimming with confidence and determination once again.

"And until then?" Lip asked, still feeling weak and, almost vulnerable, "We just gotta avoid each other?"

"No." Was all Mandy said, going back to her cleaning like nothing had happened. Just one little word, but relief washed over Lip like a flood. He may not have loved her but Lip wasn't faking all of it, he had needed Mandy and she'd been there. And he missed her every day, he missed her friendship and he really was grateful for everything she'd given. He wanted that friendship back and for the first time in a long time he saw hope for it, a glimpse of a future for them, albeit a platonic one.

 

-x-

 

"He hurts her again, I'mma break his fucking legs." Mickey said seriously, having heard the commotion from the living room. He drew back slightly from the red-head, only far enough to look into the younger boys eyes, just to show how serious he was being.

Ian flipped them so he was holding Mickey against the wall, his hands still in the older boys hair at the top of his neck. He smiled against his lovers lips and whispered "I'll hold him down," before crashing their lips back together and relishing in the older boys firm grip on his lower back.


	19. Party Time? Bed Time!

"NO, fuck that... It's not gonna fuckin' happen!"

"Jesus Mickey, you're being fucking unreasonable!"

"Yeah, well you're being fucking stupid and naïve, and if you think I'm gonna jump just cause you say so then you got another think comin', now get the fuck out of my house before I kick you out!"

"Your house?"

"Yeah, my fucking house... Our fucking house," he yelled, gesturing rapidly between himself and the red-head on the other side of the room. "OUT!" He yelled one final time before turning on his heel and darting up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

"Arggggggh!" Mandy fumed, clenching her hands into fists at her side, turning slightly to face Ian. Her eyebrows shot up and her shoulders shrugged as if to say 'a little help here, please'.

"Oh no, nope, I'm not getting involved." Ian stood from his chair and swiveled himself around to face the kitchen, grabbing a glass and walking quickly to the fridge.

"He'll listen to you..." Mandy implored as she followed after her best friend.

"What makes you think I'm on your side?" He pulled out a bottle of water and slowly uncapped the top, facing his best friend down so as to show just how opposed to the idea he himself was.

"Are you being serious right now?" Back to fuming, Mandy yelled, running her hands through her hair.

"Mands, I know you wanna help, and I get that your hearts in the right place..."

"Fuck you Ian, seriously..."

"But Mands, surely you can see how this is a bad idea?"

"No, I fucking can't... It's my god damn birthday and I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry I wanted my own brother there for it!"

"Mands..."

"STOP calling me Mands..." The black haired girl blasted out, lowering her hands and sinking her head, pointedly turning from Ian with her eyes tightly shut and her fingers still clenched into fists.

Ian raised his own hands tenderly, not apologetic but placating, both teens inhaled deeply and once Mandy had visibly relaxed Ian continued.

"Look, you know Mickey would be there, he wouldn't miss your birthday, not if you asked him to go... But he can't be there with them," he rushed to continue when Mandy's eyes perked up ready to argue her case, "I know they'd all do anything for you and I know you think you can control them... But Mandy, your brothers hate Mickey for what he is and if they're there then Mick can't be... He's right, it'll end badly."

"They don't hate him Ian, not really, they just think they do cause of that prick of a father..."

"Yeah because Terry beat it into them since they were kids, well woulda beat it into 'em if Mickey hadn't been the one taking all the fucking hits!" Ian shivered with the anger still present when he thought about Mickey's family, and what they did to him, what they still threatened to do.

"That's my point, Mickey took the hits and out of all of my brothers he was the one they always looked up to, he was the one we all looked up to. They just need to remember that, need to work it out in their stupid, thick skulls, that he's still the same Mickey and..."

"And what?" Ian asked softly, when Mandy hesitated and it was clear she didn't know exactly how to finish that sentence.

"And then I get my family back," she finished with a sad smile, "And Mickey gets his family back too!" She exclaimed with added further.

Ian bit his lip and looked to the floor, he knew how much losing his brothers had hurt Mickey, how much he hated the distance that grew between them every day. He knew how much Mickey missed them and wanted a way to just fix everything. Unfortunately, like Mickey, he also knew that a solution didn't exist, a resolve would take nothing short of a miracle.

"You know he needs 'em Ian, no matter how nice the Gallagher's are being right now, they arn't his family, never will be."

"I know," Ian answered as he exhaled slowly and raised his head back up to look into his friends eyes. "But I'm not gonna try talk him into something that I know won't solve anything. I'm not gonna ask him to do something he doesn't wanna do and I won't promise him it'll help when I don't think it will. I know the Gallagher's arn't enough Mands. I know he wants his family back and I wish I could give it to him but I also know I'm part of the reason he lost them in the first place. The Gallagher's arn't enough but I am, I have to be, and I will be until the day he tells me he wants more. Then, and only then, will I go with him to confront his piece of shit brothers, then I'll do everything I can to get them back to what they used to be. Until then, I know its selfish Mands, I really do, but until he tells me I'm not enough anymore I'm gonna keep him for myself because I love him. I really love him, and I think, after everything, we've earned the right to be selfish for a while."

Ian didn't wait for Mandy's response, he just smiled at his friend and shrugged his shoulders apologetically, then he simply turned and briskly retraced Mickey's steps up to their bedroom.

-x-

"If you're gonna tell me I shoulda heard her out or some shit...?" Mickey shouted as he heard Ian walking towards the still closed bedroom door.

"Relax," was the red-head's immediate response, pushing the door slowly open, he continued. "I'm on your side, told her I wouldn't even try to help talk you round."

The ex-con smirked as Ian approached, "You think you could talk me round, huh?"

Ian just perched his lips and shrugged his shoulder, "Eh, I have my means of persuasion." He returned, wrapping his arms around his lover and cupping his palms over the ex-con's 'incredible ass' (Ian's words, not Mickey's).

"Yeah?" Mickey asked, a little less seductively than Ian had hoped. "Well maybe you could use your powers of persuasion for good? Like getting me to finish this fuckin' chest, cause I'm about ready to just give the shitty thing to good will and be done with it. Piece of shit Russian import." Mickey, obviously still angry and now also very frustrated, pointed down to the pile of wood and nails that littered the floor of the bedroom, a gift from Terry back when Mickey was still a 'true Milkovich'. He was supposed to use the extra chest of drawers to store his hetero porn, impressive gun collection, bullets, fake ID's, cop badges etc. Ya know, all things every regular teenager shouldn't be without. When the chest that had already been in their bedroom had accidentally fallen victim to a particularly rough go around, when Mickey and Ian were finally able to christen this (and every other) room in the house, Mandy had found this old one, un-built and still in its original packaging. She'd brought it round for them almost a week ago but so far it was causing nothing but trouble. Half the screws were missing, the other half were the wrong size, the pre-drilled holes were all in the wrong places and so far the chest itself didn't so much as almost resemble the image on the box. The instructions were in Russian but that was neither here nor there really as Mickey never had any intention of looking at them yet alone following them in the first place.

"Fuck the chest," Ian whispered into his lovers ear, well if Mickey wasn't gonna be seductive, then he'd just have to be.

"Yeah?" Mickey asked cockily, raising his eyebrows and tracing his hand down Ian's back, applying just the right amount of pressure in all the right places.

"Mmmm," Ian breathed, "It's the bed we gotta get fixed up in here." He grinned as the black hair boy turned them and pushed Ian into the far wall.

Mickey just growled in affirmation as he lifted Ian to sit on the windowsill and parted the younger boys legs in order to stand between his thighs. "How long till the Gallagher horde get here?"

"We've got time..." Was all Ian managed to draw out before Mickey's hands made quick work of Ian's jeans and all the red-head could see were stars behind the eyes, and all he could feel were those magnificent hands and those perfect lips on his.

 

-x-

 

"Fuck Milkovich, I gotta get you pissed off more often."

Mickey just snorted as he continued to redress, he pulled Ian's shirt over his head, not caring that it wasn't the one he'd started the day wearing. Ian just rolled his eyes and grabbed Mickey's discarded shirt off the floor and pulled it on.

"So what's on that damn work rota for today?" Mickey asked as he knelt down to tie up his boot laces.

Ian reached over and bent down to take the cigarette packet from the back pocket of Mickey's jeans and pulled one out before fumbling through his own pockets for a lighter. Mickey straightened up and removed Ian's lighter from his own front pocket and held it up for Ian to light his fag on. After a deep inhale of smoke, the red-head tilted his head up and released a long breath into the air above him. Reopening his eyes as he brought his head back down to face the man he loved.

"Ummm front steps..." Ian said with a snort, really they were first on Debbie's list and should have been done the previous week... "But the fence still isn't finished so I guess we should do that first. Got Lip and Kev helpin' today, Fi and Debs are coming round later too."

When Debbie had first made the rota she had been around everyone demanding to know what their schedule was so she could pencil them in to help on days they had off, Mickey had scoffed at first but both boys had to admit that having the timetable of jobs pinned to the fridge really did help keep track of the things that needed to be done. It was also handy to let them know when they had enough time alone to avoid work altogether and just fuck on every available surface. Although, after the old chest of drawers incident, followed by a similar accident with the fireplace in the living room, and then the banister at the bottom of the stairs, certain rules and regulations had also been drawn up about those sorts of extra-curricular activities too.

"Lip and Kev are on roof detail and Fi and Debs are cleaning the kitchen," he expanded when Mickey didn't reply.

"What time later?" He asked suddenly, facing Ian and thumbing that spot on his lip, the way he knows drives Ian crazy. "Remember you got that meeting with that course adviser douche-bag today."

"It'll be after that, Fiona's helping Vee at the Alibi till late and Debbies with friends." That last word was said with thinly veiled hostility and Mickey, again, turned back to face his lover with his eyebrows raised and a 'play nice' expression etched into his features.

"Fuck, I know, alright, they're just... They're a bad fucking influence, OK." Ian squirmed under Mickey's scrutiny, but didn't back down from the point he was trying to make. These girls were bad news.

-x-

He'd first found out about his little sisters budding social life when she'd asked to borrow his and Mickey's computer because the Gallagher one had been exploded by Carl. Debbie had forgotten to delete the computer's history log and when Ian had gotten the laptop back he had immediately confronted her about some of the sites she was signed up to. After much protesting and shrill screams about privacy and him having 'no fucking right', Debbie had finally realised it was a lost cause and told him all about her new friends. He'd followed her to the arcade where they met and he'd been introduced to two girls with, from what he could tell, not a working brain cell between them. That night he'd come home to find Mickey and Mandy finishing off painting the window frames and he'd stormed passed them to get a luke warm beer out of the fridge.

"Only put them in there bout 5 minutes ago!" Mickey had shouted from the living room and Ian had just rolled his eyes at his own shitty day.

When he'd announced to a concerned Mandy that the reason he was pissed was not because her 'fuckhead' brother had done something wrong ("Jesus Christ, I forgot to put the beers in the fridge, pull your fucking tampon out Mands and fuck off while your at it."), but because he didn't like Debbies new friends, Mickey had immediately turned round from where he was putting the final coat of paint on the window sill.

"What me to kick their asses?" He'd offered enthusiastically.

"Not that kind of friend Mick, they're fucking girls. Prissy little rich girls with nothing better to do than drink, smoke and look for their next lay. Jesus Christ." He'd shouted again, as he remembered how those girls had acted, how little they'd cared about such things like self-respect, dignity, basic bloody hygiene. Even Mickey was working at that last one.

"Oh..." Mickey had shrugged and turned back to his painting, obviously more concerned for his pseudo sister-in-law than he was willing to show in front of his real sister.

"Want me to kick their asses?" Mandy had exclaimed, just as enthusiastically as Mickey had. Mickey'd smiled a proud smile as he briefly turned to his sister and Ian had just rolled his eyes, a smile of his own gracing his lips, and shook his head.

"Offer's there!" Is all Mandy had said and then the subject was dropped in favour of why the hell Mickey had chosen not to put paper down to protect the carpet and so why the floor was now just as white as the windows. Laziness was the Milkovich boys conclusion.

-x-

"If you give her shit about her friends she's just gonna do something worse to piss you off and prove she fucking can." Mickey took the cigarette from Ian and took two deep drags before handing it back. He turned to walk out of the room, kicking the still dismantled, Russian piece of shit, chest as he passed.

"I know, alright, I said I'd leave it and I will... I promise."

Mickey side-eyed his boyfriend, because that's what they were, he'd stopped protesting at the label after he realised just how much fun Ian had winding him up over it, as Ian followed him out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

"You still going to the garage tonight?" The red-head asked when they reached the bottom step.

"Yeah got two more cars to fix this week, one should be simple enough, others gonna be a pain in the ass, though. I'll head over there after I finish this fucking fence, get 'em both done tonight then I don't gotta go back there till pay-day." Mickey beamed as he picked up the tools for the fence. The very tools he'd dumped on the freshly cleaned carpet the night before, much to the chagrin of Vee and Fiona, who had just finished cleaning said carpet. All 3 being as stubborn as each other meant that the tools hadn't moved all night and so now, with Mickey finally picking them up, Ian could see just what the damage was. Yep, he'd have to re-clean that particular bit of floor before Fi got there later otherwise there would be hell to pay.

Ian went into the kitchen as Mickey closed the front door behind him, Mandy had left her bag there so the red-head assumed she'd not gone far. He grabbed what he'd need to fix the carpet and then got to work.

After almost 30 minutes of scrubbing and vacuuming, the soiled carpet now blended in completely with the rest of the floor. This was not to say that it was perfectly clean or any less tatty, it was simply no more dirty or worn or dented than the rest of the living room carpet. Satisfied with a job well done Ian deposited the cleaning supplies back underneath the kitchen sink and dug out two beers from the fridge, he briefly looked around, wondering what he'd done with his water from earlier, before remembering it was after noon and as such they were well within their rights to start drinking the good stuff and so he couldn't care less about the water.

He made his way outside to join his lover in fixing the fence, opening the front door he looked down at Mickey, bending over to pull out an old expendable post and couldn't help the sudden urge to wolf whistle at the sight. To say it was a nice sight would, after all be a complete understatement. He smiled to himself and shook the idea from his mind, not because he was scared to call attention to his attraction to the dark-haired thug anymore, not even because he was scared of what Mickey's reaction would be. No he resisted the urge to wolf whistle at the ex-con simply because he didn't want to inflate the gorgeous boys ego any more than he already did on a daily basis without meaning to.

Mickey looked up to see Ian standing there, he smiled a smile more like a smirk, but still with actual emotion behind it, and eyed Ian smugly. Obviously knowing that the younger boy had been checking him out. Great, Ian thought with his own smile, shoulda just whistled and been done with it.

Ian started down the steps, calling to his lover as he went. "I got you a bee...", the sentence was cut short though when the steps beneath the young soldier finally gave way with an almighty crash.

Mickey lurched forward from his place by the fence and rushed to the mass of wood and limbs that now rested where the front steps once stood. He pulled Ian from the pile of rubble and eyed him for any injuries.

Ian just inhaled sharply and tried to re-catch his breath from where the fall had winded him. He was fine, a little shocked but fine, he knew he was fine, he just didn't want Mickey to realise it quite so quickly because he knew once it was certain he was OK... Well he just wouldn't live this one down, he's sure his face was a picture as he crashed through the steps.

Naturally, Lip and Kev chose that moment to walk around the corner and approach the house. "Ey, you not finished that fence yet?" The oldest Gallagher taunted.

"Nah man, we're fixing the steps first." Mickey said with a wicked grin and a snorted laugh, his voice thickening with mirth as the concern drained from him, knowing Ian was, in fact OK.

 

-x-

 

Later that night Mickey bounded back into his house, his home with the pain in the ass red-head who'd buried himself so deep under the ex-con's skin that he didn't even know how to want to get him out. Still on a high from finishing early, Mickey threw down his work tools and marched to the kitchen in search of said pain in the ass.

"Ey," he shouted up the stairs, "Anyone here?"

Ian came running down the stairs looking quite disheveled and more than a little caught out. He barreled into Mickey with a dopey grin and tried to keep his voice neutral. "You're back early." He clutched at the older boys hips and pulled him in for a bruising kiss, turning his head from the stairs that Mickey was staring up questioningly.

"What can I say, I'm a fucking genius at fixing cars, the fuck's goin' on here?" He pulled back from Ian hesitantly and tried to push the younger boy out of the way so he could ascend the stairs.

The red-head grabbed his wrists, though, and steered him in the direction of the kitchen. "Why don't we get a beer? Celebrate your brilliance." He chirped hurriedly, still pulling his lover behind him.

"Already got one!" Mickey exclaimed, raising his loose hand and shaking the full bottle in front of Ian's face.

"Well I haven't," he retorted, not easing up his grip on the other boys arm.

Mickey pulled himself free and managed a snarling grimace before looking between Ian and the stairs, "Fuck's goin' on Gallagher?"

"Don't be pissed..." Was all Ian managed to say before Mickey snarled again and jetted towards stairs. With a, somewhat over-dramatic, sigh Ian followed.

The young Gallagher was shocked, though, when he reached the top of the stairs to find that Mickey hadn't made it past the top step himself. He had turned on the spot to face Ian as he slowly trailed after his lover.

"You go to that careers shit today?" He asked slowly, Ian nodded. "Am I gonna go in there and find all your god damn bags packed with a ticket to fucking West Point sticking outta them?"

Despite the attempted nonchalance, the sarcasm that gripped his voice, Ian could tell there was worry behind Mickey's words. He smiled a soppy smile, one he knew the older boy would internally roll his eyes at, then closed the gap between them and kissed his lover for the second time that evening. This time Mickey didn't hesitate for a second to kiss back. He pulled Ian closer into him and braced the younger boys shoulders to keep him there. As intrigued, or perhaps worried, as he was about what he would find in that bedroom, Mickey couldn't help but relax with his lover pressed so firmly against him.

"I'm not leaving Mick," the Gallagher boy affirmed with nothing but affection draped across his features.

"Damn right you're not." The Milkovich boy snorted with a smile of his own. "Now you gonna tell me whats in that room?"

Ian just grinned another sappy grin then gestured with his hand for Mickey to lead the way. The ex-con rolled his eyes but did as instructed. He walked to the door and, with one last look at a still grinning Ian, he reached for the handle, slowly pushing the old wood aside until he could finally see into the room.

In the middle of the room was a tatty old mattress, but not just any old mattress, Mickey noticed as he focused his eyes and moved towards it. It was covered in fresh sheets and with a load of cushions and pillows thrown over the top of it, but still he could tell what mattress this was, the one he had stolen from the back of a moving van shortly after he and Ian had finally come together properly. After all the shit with Terry and the would be wife. After everything that nearly broke them apart. Mickey had stolen this mattress and dragged it to the roof, their roof, above the abandoned building. He'd texted Ian and told him to bring a sleeping bag or something and the red-head he loved had turned up with a thick duvet, a bunch of pillows and a cocky smile, cracking a joke about watching for shooting stars after all.

"I figured this was the first thing that was ever ours, you can call me a fag or whatever but I kinda figured we should hold onto it." The younger boy said softly, his smile not faltering for even a second.

Mickey didn't scoff or make a joke, he didn't roll his eyes or laugh off the meaning behind the gesture, he didn't mock the man in front of him or the mattress on the ground. "How d'you get this here?" He asked quietly, still staring at the makeshift bed on the floor of their bedroom.

"Borrowed Kev's truck while he and Lip were pretending to clear the gutters."

Mickey nodded his head slightly and brought his thumb to his mouth as he chewed on the corner of his lip. He turned to face Ian slowly, his face not giving away any of the emotions that were crowding his mind. Ian wasn't sure if he should be nervous or worried but he knew he wasn't, he was comfortable and happy and he knew Mickey wasn't going to run so what need was there to worry. And Mickey didn't run, he just nodded again slowly and then inched forward to close the gap between the two of them. He grabbed Ian's shirt and pulled the boy in for a searing kiss, welcoming the moan that Ian couldn't suppress as their lips and bodies collided.

"Everyone gone for the day?" He asked quickly, Ian just nodded before finding Mickey's mouth again and breathing into the next kiss. "We're staying here tonight!" The ex-con panted into the red-heads mouth. Ian muttered a raspy "Fuck yes" before silencing Mickey again. "Welcome home!" He growled into the other boys mouth before he pushed him onto their mattress, in their room, in their house, and he let Mickey silence him too.


	20. Jealousy is an Ugly Emotion?

"What kinda fuckin' name is Ryan anyway?" Mickey was being ridiculous, he knew that, jealousy is an ugly emotion and all that... He also knew he didn't give a good god damn.

"You think his name's stupid, you should see the clothes he wears, the way he has his hair... Everything about him just screams fag, he's practically a woman Mick." Mandy remarked from across the kitchen table, still fiddling with the lamp she was trying to glue together. Mickey was sat opposite her with a toaster in front of him just waiting to be fixed. He was only barely paying it any attention though, he was distracted and Mandy was taking an unjustified amount of pleasure from making it worse.

"You seen him?" The ex-cons attention snapped to his giggling sister.

"Yeah, I went with Ian to his last meeting with the course adviser, figured I'd see if there is something I could be doing other than working in a damn waffle house..."

"Bullshit, you followed him to see who all the fucking fuss was about."

"The only one making a fuss Mickey, is you."

"I'm not making a fuss, I just don't like the asshole."

"The asshole you've never met?" The lamp temporarily forgotten, Mandy looked up at her brother with a smirk on her face.

"Never met the prick but I know more about him than I do about your last six fucking boyfriends. And you don't shut up about the freaks you date, I mean, like EVER."

"I never talk to you about the guys I date." Mandy retorted defensively.

"Nah, but you talk Ian's ears off then he comes bitching to me, like I give a shit who you're fucking this damn week."

"Fuck you!" She yelled, mock affronted, before matching Mickey's casual smile and returning her focus to the lamp in front of her, still only partially repaired after an hour of intense gluing. "Besides, Ian only mentioned him that one time, because Debbie wanted a family portrait taken and the guys a photographer."

"Pfft," Mickey snorted, "A fucking photographer, who the fuck takes pictures all day then calls it a career." He scoffed and furrowed a brow when Mandy just shrugged half-heartedly. Finally, after hours of procrastinating, Mickey turned his focus to the broken appliance before him and started to work on fixing it. The smirk had returned to Mandy, knowing as she did that this conversation was still raging in her brothers mind, "Idiot," she muttered under her breath as her eyes quickly darted to look at her brother. Her stupid ass brother, who had the love of the best person either of them had ever met, who loved the boy back and who was currently sitting at the table they shared talking about some random guy who was, and would always be, as unsubstantial to Ian as... Hell, as the guys that Mandy barely has time to date between hooking up with.

 

-x-

 

"And you're coming to The Alibi tonight?" Debbie asked for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"Yes Debs, and I'll make sure Mick is there too." Ian added before his little sister could ask.

"Good, cause Hollie and Ellie are gonna be there and they have literally not stopped asking about you since the time you tagged along to the arcade. I told 'em you liked dudes but Hollie reckons she can turn ya!" The younger Gallagher girl sing songed as she left the living room, like this was the most normal thing in the world to say to your brother about your best friends intentions.

Ian shook his head incredulously and continued his search of the Gallagher house for things he needed to take home. His home. With Mickey. A smile broke out across his face at the thought. The same smile that still takes over him every time he has that thought. The thought of him and Mickey, together, in their house. His search suddenly hastens as he fights the overwhelming urge to just forego the whole thing entirely and run back home to where Mickey was waiting, probably still sat in front of an unfixed toaster. Ian rolled his eyes happily and decided to accidentally forget to search upstairs.

"Hey," Lip said as he walked through the door with Liam nestled on his hip. "Fiona back yet?"

"Been and gone, Vee came round with that address for the nursery she wants to check out. She'll be back soon though, they left like two hours ago." Ian's eyes scrunched up in thought as he bent over the small living room table and reached for a tattered Zippo. "This mine?" He asked, holding said lighter up for Lip to analyse.

"Probably," the older boy shrugged, "You already at the moving small, insignificant shit in? Thought you still hadn't officially moved in yourselves yet?"

"I'm supposed to just be getting the important things, toiletries and shit cause we're staying there more often than not now. But no, still not moved in, heating's still not set up properly cause it's still warm enough out not to need it. Can't cook in that kitchen yet and the house is still practically a builder's yard but it's getting there." Ian looked back to the lighter for a few seconds before calmly announcing, "I'mma take this, Mickey keeps threatening to burn that damn Russian chest, so Mandy keeps stealing his lighters... And my lighters... And our matches."

"I got a message about The Alibi tonight?" Lip asked while Ian sifted through an old tool chest, before finally closing it and just deciding to take the whole thing.

"Yeah, Deb's is throwing like a mini party for Mandy's birthday cause she found out Mickey and me had to miss the real thing, buuut mostly she just wanted an excuse to either show us off to her friends, or show her friends off to us." Ian recited with a patient sort of ease, in a family like the Gallaghers, both boys were used to going along with events that had 'doomed' and 'bad idea' written all over them.

"Why the hell would she want to show us off to her friends? She does wanna impress them doesn't she?" Lip asked sarcastically, putting Liam down onto the sofa and moving around the living to gather enough toys to keep the toddler entertained.

Ian just laughed as he gathered up his coat and shoes, finally ready to go home. "Why the hell would she want to show off her friends, trust me Lip, I've met them and these girls are gonna be the death of Fiona." The red-head called over his shoulder as he threw on his backpack, picked up Kev's tool box and fled the Gallagher house before any more distractions could arise.

 

-x-

 

"So there's this guy..." Ian starts, exhaling with his cigarette still in his mouth. He's sat on the floor of the new houses living room, Mickey and Mandy next to him forming a sort of half assed circle. Ian has his legs stretched out in front of him, leaning backwards on his arms and looking up to the ceiling as he momentarily just breathes. Mandy is sat cross-legged, leaning forward and fidgeting with the fraying carpet in front of her. Her long hair is falling in front of her face as her eyes alternate between looking at what her hands are doing and following the movements of the joint they are passing between them. Mickey is sat leaning his back against the wall next to the window, having fixed the toaster, he is now tinkering with a kettle they were given by Kev because he assumed it was unfix-able, so far Mickey's already made the damn thing steam up, unfortunately there was no water in it at the time but he's still counting it as progress. There are pieces of kettle, rags and newspaper, that Ian insisted on putting down, strewn across the floor between Mickey's own outstretched legs and he's looking daggers at Mandy when she jovially chimes into the conversations.

"There always is." She remarks, feigning a heart fluttering expression and laughing at her brother's evil eye.

"Ha," the Gallagher boy deadpans, "Debbie, s'why she wants the family portrait and shit, wants to convince him we're normal."

"Yeah I know, Matty." Mandy adds, when Mickey takes the joint off of Ian and then resumes his tinkering without making an obvious remark about the Gallagher's inability to so much as recognise normal if it bit them on their asses.

"You know him?" Ian asked back, startled and a little annoyed that the first he'd heard of it was today when he'd walked in on a phone conversation between Debbie and said boy..

"Yeah, she asked me for some advice, I helped her out and sent her into the world." She retorted wistfully, smiling despite Mickey's scoff and Ian's horrified expression.

"Jesus," the younger boy moaned, "She was supposed to be the respectable one!"

"Well you can bet that ship has sailed if she listened to a word that bitch said," Mickey laughed, passing the joint over to said bitch, who simple swatted at his arm after claiming the weed infused cigarette.

"How old is this kid?" Ian asked, voice laced with genuine concern.

"Not a kid," she stated back, matter-of-factly.

"What?" the young soldier all but shouted, raising himself from his slump to sit up straight and stare at his best friend.

"Yeah, from what I gathered, he's like, maybe our age? Maybe a bit younger, or could be a bit older? I don't really know specifics." The Milkovich girl happily smoked and picked at the carpet, completely unaffected by this and unnoticing of how completely affected Ian was. Mickey rolled his eyes and turned to his Gallagher.

"You really gonna judge a Gallagher kid on their predisposition to older men?" The older boy remarked, sarcastic and full of good humour, but a warning not to push laced into his tone as well.

"Fuck you, that's different." Ian shot back incredulously, 0-60 in five seconds flat, so goes the Gallagher boys temper some times.

Mickey scoffed and leaned further against the wall, looking up into the eyes of his partner and raising an eyebrow as if to ask 'how the fuck is that then?'.

"It was just fucking..." He argued weakly, looking for Mandy for support.

"That's alright then," Mickey smiled back, "That's probably all this Matty guy wants anyway."

"Funny!" Ian shot his lover a look that showed just how unfunny it was before struggling on with his explanation, shoulders raised defensively. "I didn't want anything from those assholes, I mean yeah they gave me stuff..."

"Presents..." Mickey teased as he stared his boyfriend down.

Ian just glared right back and Mandy felt oddly voyeuristic and she tussled with the idea of leaving them to it. "Presents," Ian confirmed calmly. "But nothing real, I mean they were just guys I fucked cause I didn't know any better. Till I found your stupid ass," he gestured to Mickey with false annoyance and a small, extremely well hidden smile, "And you fucked even that up!"

"What can I say," Mickey all but sang from his spot on the floor, "I'm irresistible!" He shrugged his shoulders and returned to work on the kettle as Ian stood from his spot and paced for a few seconds before going into the kitchen and getting some beers. He returned to his spot with the bottles and slumped back down into his previous position on the carpet.

"Jesus Ian, you can't stop her doing what she wants to do, the more you try the more she's gonna do it." Ian slowly looked over to Mickey who was waving a bit of kettle around as he spoke, eyebrows raised and joint sticking out of his mouth. Fuck, Ian thought, not knowing whether he meant because Mickey was right, or because he'd missed his turn for the joint. Before he could analyse any further though, Mickey continued. "Look, either the guy's a douche or Debbie has found the only decent kid in the South Side. If he's decent then it don't matter the age gap cause your family gets under the fucking skin so he'll still be fucking her in ten years time and you'll still hate him for it cause she's your little sister." Ian continued to glare at the ex-con, even as his face began to soften. "And if he's an assholes who just wants sex with a fucking minor, then he'll break her heart sooner rather than later, it'll all be over and that weird ass family of yours will all rally round to pick up the pieces of the latest fuck up. And Debbie will get over it, again, sooner rather than later, cause your fucking family has got, like the highest tolerance for that shit of any other bunch of people I know."

Ian eyes immediately softened as he found the honesty in Mickey's. He smiled and exhaled, still unhappy with the development but acknowledging that Mickey had a point. His sister would be fine, because his family would make sure she was.

"Plus I'll kick his fucking ass and rip his fucking dick off and he'll never be able to touch anyone with it again." Mickey added with extra gusto, before ignoring the red-head's reaction in favour of bashing the base of the kettle with a hammer.

Ian laughed as he looked once again to the ceiling. Debbie would be fine because the family would make sure she was fine, and because Mickey would make sure she was fine.

"Yeah well you can laugh all you want but she wants you in the picture as well." The red-head proclaimed, still staring above himself, his smile grew as he heard Mickey's hand still and could sense the Milkovich's eyes on him.

"Why the fuck would I be in a Gallagher family picture?" He scoffed perplexedly.

"Oh come on Mick, she loves you more than she does any of us, you're the only one she hasn't had an 'I hate you' phase for." Ian said softly, slowly lowering his head to look into the eyes he loved so damn much.

"My phase lasted two weeks, all because I laughed at her friends shoes." Mandy laughed, loving the look on her brothers face too much not to add to his discomfort.

"Mine was three weeks," Ian retorted with a smirk, Mandy closed her eyes and nodded approvingly. "I told her she didn't need make-up," he explained, dramatizing his betrayal with a hand across his heart. "Apparently its a complement when the cute guy who sits next to her in science says it, but when its your overbearing older brother... Not so much." He finishes with an eclipsing smile that still sends shivers down Mickey's spine. Even Mandy has to admit that seeing the red-head smile is possibly her favourite thing in the world, next to seeing Mickey smile. Because when these two boys smile, an honest to god smile, with real emotion behind it, well there is nothing brighter in the world. Nothing more precious to Mandy and nothing more sincere to behold.

"I'm seriously rethinking this whole arrangement," Mickey recovered quickly enough from the spine tingling to deliver this empty threat and gesture between himself and Ian with the hammer still in his hand.

Ian leaned forward again with a scoff, and cupped his beer in his hand as he inhaled the warm air, wondering briefly where the joint had gotten too, Mandy had it, before speaking again. "So anyway, she's asked me to invite Ryan to The Alibi tonight, talk about the picture, how much its gonna cost etc etc," he gestured his arms in a rolling motion before taking a swig of his beer, once again hearing Mickey's hands still from their hammering. "She wants to impress her friends and the I guess the more people she knows, the more impressed they'll be. Plus I think she's told 'em he's photographing her, like solely, like she's a model or something... Anyway, ask no questions, hear no lies right. So long story short, Ryan's gonna be there tonight." Ian spoke as quickly as possible in order to get it all out before Mickey could interrupt.

Short of Mandy's badly muffled giggle fit, though, there was no noise. Mickey merely shrugged his shoulders and resumed his work.

"You hear me Mick?" Ian asked, confusion evident in his voice as to why the older boy hadn't reacted. He wasn't an idiot, he was well aware of the Milkovich's penchant for jealousy and he knew that him mentioning Ryan, a boy from the North Side who could offer Ian everything, had brought out said jealousy. Admitting to Mickey that Ryan had, in fact, offered him everything before Ian had informed him he was spoken for, hadn't helped the situation. A part of Ian would admit though, that it was nice to see Mickey all jealous and possessive, not that he's ever gonna say it out loud.

Mickey just hummed his acknowledgment and continued his, now slightly quieter battering of the kettle. Mandy's giggles had also now silenced and she looked up at her best friend with wide, curious eyes and raised shoulders. He turned to her for answers she couldn't give and the two looked back to Mickey, who just ignored them in favour of doing something useful and fixing the stupid god damn, used up, piece of shit kettle.

That small part inside of Ian would freely admit, to himself at least, that he was more than a tiny bit disappointed that Mickey seemed, outwardly at least, so OK with Ryan's presence. Another part of him would then be very angry at said little bit for needing such stupid little bits of proof of Mickey's feelings when Mickey showed how he felt on a daily basis now. But it wasn't about proof anymore, he would remind himself. He knew Mickey loved him, just as he knew Mickey knew he was loved in return. It was about being excited, still after all this time, he was impossibly excited and awed and humbled and happy every time he saw even a tiny bit of that affection. Because that love was the most important thing in his world.

Yes it was childish, and arguably a little pathetic, but he missed that spark of envy. As Mandy shrugged her shoulders and dismissed the whole thing, probably attributing Mickey's lack of reaction to some kind of personal growth, Ian slumped back down onto the floor and drained his beer.

 

-x-

 

"He here yet?" Mandy asked as she slumped into the empty seat next Mickey at the bar of The Alibi.

"Fuck you," her big brother replied instantly.

"I knew you weren't really over this whole jealousy thing," she exclaimed proudly.

"Fuck you!" He repeated, this time with a little extra further.

"So where's Ian? Showing Ryan around? Ya know, to the toilets maybe? Out back? Where it's a bit more quiet."

"Really, fuck you." This time though, Mickey had a slight smile playing at his lips. He knew how ridiculous it was to be jealous. He knew Ian better than he knew himself half the time and the guy was nothing if not honest, and loyal, and god damn beautiful, and perfect in every way, even his god damn flaws. Mickey scoffed at his inner sap but didn't even try to deny to himself just how much he meant every word of it. Ian was so much more than this town, so much more than this life, he was the best thing in Mickey's world, they were the best thing in Mickey's world. And Mickey knew the younger boy could get so much more, deserved so much more. And he was all too aware that the day would come that Ian did want more, more than the South Side, more than Mickey. And perhaps it will be Ryan who shows him this, perhaps it'll be something or someone else. All Mickey knows is he'll be there until that day, and when it happens he'll not do Ian the injustice of trying to get him to stay behind and put his dreams on hold any longer, he'll let him go and be happy and be everything he wants to be. Except perhaps it won't be Mickey he wants away from, it may just be the South side of Chicago that becomes too stifling, in which case Mickey already knows he'll take Gallagher wherever he wants to go, he'll go with him to the edge of the Earth if he's allowed.

And why wouldn't he be allowed. Ian is honest, to a fault some might say, and he knows that beautiful red-head better than he knows himself. And when he tells Mickey he loves him he means it, wholly and completely. Just as much as Mickey when he says it back. No, Ian's not going to leave Mickey behind, not for some punk like Ryan, or anyone else. Mickey knows this as much as he knows that this house they have together is more of a home than any place he has ever been before, and it always will be, even after they move on from it, together, because it will always be together with the two of them.

"I might be a jealous son of a bitch Mands," he says with a smirk, whilst rising from the bar stool and draining his shot of whiskey, "But I'm the one he's fucking," his smile widens at Mandy's scowl. "I'm the one he's going home with," the smirks drops all together as Mandy rises to stand next to him.

"You're the one he loves?" She asks sickeningly sweetly. But Mickey doesn't retreat or shove her away, he just thumbs his lip and looks into his sisters eyes, nodding his head slowly but surely.

"Well look at that," Mandy rejoices dramatically, "My brother's finally got a clue!"

Mickey just rolled his eyes and smacked the back of her head, turning on the spot to look around the busy bar for any sign of his lover.

"I'm not fucking jealous," he protests calmly, "Not cause I think he's gonna fuck off with some one else," he continues, spotting Ian stood over by the door, welcoming some guy Mickey doesn't recognise, Ryan he presumes. "I'm fucking annoyed every time he's talking to someone else," he says slyly, gesturing for Mandy to look over to the red-head in question, "Because it's time that coulda been spent fucking me!" He smiled at Mandy then, one of the smiles she loves to see, then pushed past her gently to make his way over to the boy he loves and the asshole not worthy of being a distraction.

-x-

This is it, Ian thought greedily, as he saw Mickey approaching. Earlier was an anomaly, now, with Ryan stood here all North Side superior, Mickey was going to react.

"Hey Mick," he chirped happily as the ex-con got close. "This is Ryan," he gestured to the boy beside him and smiled. Ian wasn't an asshole, he wasn't gonna do something as dickish as push the Milkovich for a reaction. Flirt with Ryan to press Mickey's buttons, he loved the older boy far too much to mess with him, he never wanted that to be what they were, the sort of couple who manipulates each other and fights for reactions and attention and all that shit that is never said between them anymore. He and Mickey have done their share of no talking, they were passed that now, they were better than it. So he didn't put on a show, with a flashy introduction, he didn't run his hand down Ryan's arm when the photographer expressed his admiration for the red-head, or swoon when told Mickey that he would love to photograph the red-head privately.

But Mickey didn't react, he played nice, he smiled, albeit a half-hearted one. He shook the stranger's hand and he made stilted conversation. And Ian forgot to be disappointed because, in that moment, he was so damn proud of his boyfriend. Of the effort he was making to get along with Ian's friends, if Ryan could even be called that. Ryan was from a world that Mickey had never known, a world that Mickey was always taught to disdain because it would always be out of his reach. Yet here Mickey was, making an effort to get along, all for Ian's sake.

And then everything went to shit.

And It started with a phone call.

"I gotta take this," Ryan said politely, silently excusing himself from the conversation and slipping out of The Alibi front door.

Ian looked to Mickey with a genuine smile and Mickey cocked an eyebrow in return. Mandy walked over and asked where her introduction was, after all, the time she went along with Ian she only saw the guy from a distance. Mickey shoved her when she turned to smirk at him and Ian rolled his eyes at the pair of them. Hollie walked up and introduced herself to the Milkovich, batted her eyelashes at Ian and proclaimed to Mickey that her friend Ellie was both available and interested, should he see fit to pursue her. The ex-con laughed disbelieving as the blond girl swaggered away, Ian tried to hold back an annoyed groan and Mandy tried to hold back an errant fist. All in all it was a typical family gathering until Ryan came back in through the front door with company in tow.

"This is Gideon," he announced to the three people still stood in front of the entrance.

Gideon was another generic rich blooded North Sider. He was taller than Mickey, not as tall as Ian. He was Asian, slim, wore black framed glasses that seemed to suit his face perfectly and held himself with confidence. He was nice looking, with a warm smile and an enthusiastic greeting. He eyed Mickey with instant fondness. Ian hated him.

"Hope you don't mind, I asked him along. Not that I don't trust you or anything but I've never been down here before, couldn't hurt to have some company right?" Ryan smiled coyly and looked between Mickey and Ian.

"You two together?" Ian asked, almost hopefully.

"Nooo," the pair laughed slightly and answered in union. "Just old friends," Gideon added, turning slightly to face the only one of the three he had yet to be introduced too and raising his eyebrows, rubbing his hands together as he smiled at Mandy casually.

"My sister Mandy." Mickey supplied politely.

"Ahhhh, should have known," he said affectionately.

"Yeah?" Mandy smiled, "Why's that?"

"Well, aside from the physical similarities, ya know the dark hair, strong features, powerful stares," he said quickly, sounding like he should be coming across as shy but really not seeming any less confident than when he was introduced. "You carry yourselves the same, I guess. Like casual but dangerous."

Mickey snorted as Mandy laughed and Ian just glared at the new comer.

"Strong features?" Mandy inquired humorously, almost looking for an insult they all knew wasn't really there.

"It was a compliment," Gideon affirmed, "For both of you," he added, finally showing some genuine shyness as he looked to the floor for a brief second before Mandy's new bout of giggles was interrupted by Lip.

"Deb's wants you to stop hogging the 'birthday girl'," he held his hands up in air quotes for that last bit, delivering the message out of duty and not sincerely caring. He turned to the new faces and introduced himself before turning on his heel and asking who wanted to get pissed.

"Oooooh, I do," Ian muttered as he followed after his brother, not particularly caring if the North Siders followed or not. Mickey was by his side automatically and Ian relaxed. He grinned at his lover when the older boy flicked him on the shoulder and mouthed 'smile', pointing over to Debbie, who was glaring up at him with a frown on her face. He forgot for a moment why he had been so annoyed, realising how stupid it was to get jealous of a guy Mickey hadn't said more than a handful of words too.

Then said guy walked over and freely sat next to Mickey, asked him questions openly like it wasn't a big deal to try to get the Milkovich boy to open up, and then it hit Ian, he wasn't worried that Mickey would run off with the guy, he wasn't even worried that Mickey might like the fucker. He just wasn't used to this, to the easy interaction of Mickey and another human being, a gay human being that was so obviously attracted to the ex-con. South Siders were scared of Mickey, they didn't speak casually to him, they didn't hang on his every word and look at him with warm, friendly eyes. They didn't talk to him easily, like he could be somebody. They judged him, ran away from him, fought with him. He didn't know how to react to someone wanting an actual dialogue with the tattooed thug, he certainly didn't know how to deal with Mickey answering the questions, asking his own in return. This wasn't stilted or awkward, like it had been with Ryan, this was an actual conversation. Yep, Ian hated this guy.

 

-x-

 

"Goddamnit Mandy, I'm this fucking close, I swear to god!" Ian announced as he flung himself onto the chair next to his best friend.

Mandy downed her shot, then patted her best friend's head when he ungracefully dropped it onto the table in front of them. "Whats up sugar?" she slurred happily.

Ian frowned at her, but couldn't help the smile that graced his lips when all she did was shrug and giggle into her beer.

"I don't even know..." He scoffed miserably.

Debbie had cornered Ryan, with her two friends in tow, questioning him about photos he could take, Hollie probably offering blow jobs in exchange for him doing them for free. Speaking of Hollie, she kept making excuses to walk past where Ian had been standing next to Lip and Fiona at the bar, pinching his ass and whispering obscenities into his ear. He was this close to letting Mandy loose on her. Mickey was schooling Gideon at pool, making money from the overconfident North Sider who thought he knew the game because his dad used to 'vacation' at a rich people village with a games room and Gideon was taken along a few times. Needless to say he was under no such illusion now, but the game was still taking too long for Ian's liking and he couldn't help but look over to the two boys every couple of seconds and get angrier and angrier that he was too much of a pussy to go over there and punch the twat without a good reason. Mickey wouldn't need a reason, if he wanted to punch someone just because he was jealous then he would, he would walk right on up to them, punch them in the face and walk away again without a word of explanation. And yet he hadn't punched Ryan. Not even when the photographer had very unsubtly copped a feel of Ian's bicep and sappily asked if Ian worked out. Mickey didn't punch him, just snorted, said 'Baby army', gestured to Ian and announced proudly that he could probably take out the entire bar if he wanted to.

Ian groaned into the table top again and Mandy patted his shoulder, muttered an almost comforting "There, There," then proceeded to down the rest of her beer.

After what felt like hours, but was probably barely even minutes, of quietly hurling abuse at his own forearm, that was now propping up his slightly saw forehead, Ian was finally roused from his moping by an insistent and very drunk Mandy.

"Lip's got a girlfriend doesn't he?"

Ian's eyes widened and he faulted for only a second before he scoffed and shook his head.

Mandy saw the hesitation though and smiled down into her drink. "Don't worry," she mumbled, "I won't let Mickey kill him."

Ian huffed out a laugh and looked to his favourite thug for a comforting glance. Mickey was looking right at him from the pool table, leaning on his pool cue and seemingly not  
really paying attention to anything but Ian. He smiled slightly when their eyes met and that was all it took to wipe Ian from his funk. He smiled back just before Mickey's  
attention sharply returned to the game he was still winning, and the dark-haired boy lined up his next shot.

Ian turned back to his best friend and rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing slightly to get her to look at him.

"She's coming here isn't she?" The young Milkovich asked solemnly.

Ian just pursed his lips and nodded slightly. "I'm sorry Mands," he drew her into his arms and whispered into her ear that Lip was a dick and she didn't have to stop Mickey if she didn't want to.

Mandy just laughed into his shoulder and told him it was fine, she was fine.

The truth was, Ian didn't know how serious this thing between Lip and Amanda was, at least he thinks that's her name. He knows they met at a college bar that Lip had crashed. He knew she was looking to piss off her parents so she clocked Lip as soon as he walked in. He knows they fucked as often as horny teenagers do and had no plans to stop in the near future and that he had already met her parents and that the meeting had had the desired effect, with them offering to pay lots of money for him to leave her alone. They'd split the money and carried on screwing. He hadn't known she was coming here, but then Lip had said she was quite impulsive and she was turned on by the whole idea of the South Side and the hard life. It would also explain why he's been checking his phone a lot in the last half an hour, probably waiting to give her directions.

"It's just weird ya know," she continued calmly, not crying, not even sounding particularly sad anymore, just resolved, which Ian somehow thought was worse. "The first guy I love turns out to be a raging homo in love with my brother."

Ian didn't bother to feign shock, true, at the time he hadn't had a clue about Mandy's feelings for him, but during a particularly vicious row with Lip a few months ago about how badly he had treated her Lip had snapped and told him to open his fucking eyes. He then spelled the whole thing out for Ian, whose heart pounded and stomach dropped and who ran straight to where Mandy was staying and asked her if it was true. They'd talked about it until there was nothing left to say and Mandy had promised she was fine, and she was over it and she was happy that the two people she loved most in the world had found their own happiness together.

"Then I go and fall for your brother, probably hoping he was just a straight version of you, then that goes to hell and he moves on, but I'm still by myself."

Ian squeezed tighter on Mandy's shoulder as she exhaled and reached out for Ian's beer. "Which cliché you want?" He asked her soothingly, "The 'you're too good for them anyway', the whole 'there's plenty more fish in the sea', or how about 'it's better to have loved and lost...'?"

Mandy laughed as she leaned backwards against Ian's arm, "None of the above," she scoffed, "I'm OK, really," she offered genuinely, "It's just odd is all."

Ian doesn't really get how it's odd, he doesn't really believe that Mandy is fine, but he knows she has him, and Mickey, and even the rest of the Milkovich brothers. Although he hates them with a cruel sort of passion for how they treated Mickey, he knows that just like the ex-con he loves so much, all of her brothers would die for Mandy in an instant. They would kill for her, protect her and make sure she never wanted for anything, for as long as it was in their power to do so. Mandy didn't say anymore and he didn't push the subject, just sat with his arm nestled around the raven-haired girl and watched as she shamelessly drank his beer in front of him.

 

-x-

 

"So you and Ian been together long?"

Mickey snapped out of his daze at the mention of Ian's name, he looked over at Gideon questioningly, eyebrows raised but not threatening.

"You've barely been able to keep your eyes off of him all night," the rich man smiled.

"Umm, yeah man, like 5 years or so," he explained, still unsure as to just why talking came so easily with this new guy from the North Side.

"You're lucky, both of you I mean. It's hard to find something real, even harder to keep hold of it."

"You talkin' from experience?" Mickey wasn't sure why he asked, wasn't sure if he even cared for the answer, but he was kinda enjoying the easy conversation and so found he had no qualms with extending it when given a cue to do so.

"Who doesn't have an experience or two under their belt." Gideon's response was as friendly as the rest of their banter had been all night but Mickey could tell he didn't want to talk anymore on the subject so he let it go and lined up his next shot. He potted the black with little effort and declared himself the winner by demanding a drink and a some 'damn appreciation'. Gideon smiled and scoffed to himself as he trudged over to the bar and Mickey snorted as he made his way over to where Ian and Mandy were sat.

"Are you fucking cuddling?" He asked loudly enough for the rest of the bar to hear.

Ian rolled his eyes as they both shuffled their seats over to make room for Mickey to sit next to him.

"Jealous, dear brother?" Mandy asked gleefully.

"Jesus, how much has she drunk?"

"Not nearly enough!" Mandy exclaimed animatedly, grabbing for her shot glass in order to gesture to Kev for a refill, "But then again, maybe a bit too much." She corrected, as her hand missed the shot glass and she nearly toppled off her seat.

Ian shared a look with the man he loved that was equal parts humour and concern, he grabbed a hold of his best friends arm to steady her and smiled reassuringly at the ex-con sat beside him, happy to finally have him back by his side. And as disappointed as Ian was to see that Gideon hadn't permanently removed himself from Mickey's side, but was currently making his way towards their table with a tray of drinks, he was soon distracted by the arrival of Debbie and her friends.

"Back off blondy," Mandy shouted, all but pouncing when the tallest girl made to reach out to Ian. "You may still be in kindergarten but I promise I will break every bone in your fucking body if you go anywhere near my homo!" As she spoke, surprisingly coherently compared to the slurring of a second earlier, she rose to her feet and leaned herself across the table, staring into the youngsters eyes and silently daring her to doubt the truth of the words.

Hollie blanched back and Debbie looked horrified, Ellie, though, looked really rather pleased. Ryan stared awkwardly, while Lip and Fiona giggled in the background. Carl and Bonnie, who'd just made a grand entrance of their own involving firecrackers and Kev's truck, stood rooted to the spot a few paces away, both staring at Hollie, obviously hoping for a fight. Gideon was also looking at Mandy, but with none of Ryan's shock or nervousness, he was smiling at her, as warm as he had when they first met. Yep, Ian still hated him.

Mickey hitched an eyebrow and proudly side eyed his sister, "Your homo?" He laughed.

"Was mine before he was yours asshole," she replied instantly, slowly lowering herself and swatting at her brother's arm. Mickey scoffed and Mandy grabbed his beer, the two wrestled until the younger Milkovich finally gave up her hold on the bottle and by the time they had stopped hurling sentimental insults at each other Debbie and her friends had stormed off.

"I think you just got your second 'Debbie hate' phase." Ian declared from where he was pinned between the previously brawling siblings.

"Does this happen often at Milkovich/Gallagher mixers?" Gideon asked innocently as Ryan lowered himself into a chair next to him.

"Mixers?" Mickey asked mockingly, "Dude you're in the South Side now, we don't have fucking mixers, we have brawls and gatherings and one almost always leads to the other, yes, especially with these two fucked up families." This time it wasn't just Ian who was mesmerized by the way that Mickey gestured with his hands, speaking with his body as well as his voice.

"Thanks for the tip," Gideon responded happily.

And were they fucking flirting? Ian thought incredulously, right in fucking front of him. No, he shook the thought from his head, Mickey didn't fucking flirt and so what if he did. Nothing was gonna come of it. He trusted Mickey with his life, with his fucking heart and no rich North Sider was gonna come between them. He knows this like he knows how to breathe, its instinct. But that doesn't mean he can't hate the guy for thinking he has a right to any of Mickey's attention, attention that could be aimed at Ian. And don't think Ian didn't notice how he put the Milkovich's name first, I mean that's gotta mean something right?

"Ugh," the red-head muttered as he dropped his head into his arms once again, 'I am so fucked', he thought to himself.

 

-x-

 

The night carried on like this for a couple of hours. Progressing only to see Ian sniping at almost everything Gideon said, some comments said aloud for everyone to hear, most said internally for only himself to laugh at. So maybe Gideon and Mickey weren't flirting, but Ryan definitely was and Mickey still wasn't reacting. So Ian had been ignoring it, not reciprocating, barely focusing on anything that wasn't Mickey and rich boy over there, but still. It had never mattered before how uninterested Ian was, Mickey got jealous for the same reasons Ian now was. Not because he thought his lover was gonna betray him, or anything would come of the one-sided flirting, but because what gave anyone the right to even think they could flirt with either Ian or Mickey, who wasn't Ian or Mickey.

Having been nudged back into the conversation for the fourth time in the last couple of minutes, Ian finally tried to contribute. He propped himself up in time to hear Gideon talk about his dissertation, 'fucking dissertation' Ian groaned internally, Mickey made the same sort of comment out loud for everyone to hear and laugh at, and Gideon just smiled that goofy smile and asked Mickey if he'd ever considered furthering his education.

Mickey just snorted and proclaimed that he'd have to fucking start his education first and who the fuck could be assed with that. "Fucked for life," he'd said, nonplussed.

Gideon had just smiled in return and retorted quickly, "You're a mechanic right?" Mickey nodded as he exhaled smoke and passed the newly lit joint over to Ian. "Well I don't think fucked for life applies if you have a career, Milkovich."

Right, that's it, Ian thought as he threw himself up from the table and, somewhat, aggressively announced he had to pee, handing the joint to Mandy as he turned and walked away. Fucking pet names now, he seethed internally. Consumed by the totally irrational hatred of a guy he knew deep down was just being friendly, Ian stormed into the bar toilets and threw water across his face. Trying to compose himself sucked, jealousy sucked, Gideon sucked, fucking Ryan sucked, Mickey... Mickey didn't suck, Mickey was gorgeous and funny and fucking brilliant and Ian wasn't shocked that someone else had seen it, been drawn to him. He wasn't shocked, he was pissed. That side of Mickey was only for Ian to get to see goddamnit.

The red-head was gripping the sink hard when the door to the bathroom opened slowly. Not Mickey then his brain supplied, he didn't do gentle entrances. His stomach sank with the realisation and he didn't bother to turn to face his sanctuary's intruder. Not Mickey could go fuck himself. Not Mickey turned out to be Ryan.

The photographer walked slowly towards Ian and reached out a hand to touch the younger boys shoulder, "You OK?" He asked tenderly.

"Hm, 'm fine." Ian's response was stilted and anyone else would have been smart and left the bathroom, but Ryan stayed hovered by his side until Ian exhaled and turned slightly to look at him. "I'm fine," he reasserted.

"OK," was all the richer boy responded.

Ian rolled his eyes and looked back into his reflected self in the grubby bathroom mirror.

"This about Mickey?" Ryan asked, voice laced with concern, and was that sympathy? Ian didn't trust himself to respond without offending the other man so he just stayed quiet and tried to calm the fuck down. After a few moments silence Ryan piped up again. "He seems nice..." Was all he said, all condescending and judgemental, like there was a 'but' coming along any second, and fuck this guy for judging Mickey. 'He seems nice'? What the fuck is that, he doesn't know Mickey fucking Milkovich, he doesn't get to decide how he seems. Mickey's not fucking nice, he's god damn perfect and he's been noticed by someone else and that person isn't Ian and that person will not be the last and Ian does not want to fucking share. He groaned at himself again and turned to glare at Ryan, silently warning him he wasn't in the fucking mood. He knew Ryan hadn't done anything wrong, just like he knew Gideon hadn't, but jealousy was an ugly emotion and all that, and when it reared its ugly head then innocence didn't matter a damn.

"Listen Ian, I know it's not my place," Ryan persisted, "But are you two OK?"

"What...?" Was all Ian could get out before the other boy hurried on with his explanations.

"It's just you've barely spoken all evening and you look miserable and I mean, where is he now?" Ryan's hands were placating, raised as if to convey sincerity and concern, he was stood shyly next to Ian, facing him with his whole body, unnecessarily close. Ian was gobsmacked, he knew the other man had a slight bad boy fascination, maybe still had a little crush on Ian, but he never thought he'd act on it, if that is indeed what he's doing now.

Ian scrambled for a retort, a 'fuck you, you don't know a thing about me and Mickey'. But before he could get it out Ryan had raised a hand to his shoulder again and pressed on. "You can have anything you've ever dreamed of Ian, you deserve to have it all... Are you sure you're OK with...?"

"That it. I'm fucking done. Nope. No fucking more!" Mickey shouted as he barreled into the small space. Ian startled and Ryan jumped away from him. "I fucking tried the personal growth shit, I played fucking nice, I made a god damn effort, but now I'm so fucking done!" He marched up to the North Sider and hurled his fist to the collar of his shirt, pushing him against the wall and pinning him there, a vicious snarl on his face.

"I'm not knocking you the fuck out," Mickey spat aggressively, "Cause you're fucking right, he does deserve the world. He deserves everything fucking in it! And what...? You think you're gonna be the one to give it to him?" The ex-con snarled as Ryan stayed silent, pleadingly looking between Ian and Mickey. "Nah man, you may have it all up in the North Side, but you're on my turf now bitch. And you don't get to fucking judge me, and you don't get to fucking tell Ian what he deserves like he doesn't already know. You don't know shit about him rich boy, you got some bad boy fetish? Think you can find someone from the wrong side of the tracks and fucking save 'em? Well news flash asshole..." Mickey tightened his grip, leaning in to snarl into Ryan's ear, "He don't need fucking saving, he's more than you'll ever fucking know and he's more than capably of getting everything he wants for his god damn self!" Mickey pushed himself away from the man in front of him and gestured to the red-head at his side. "And guess fucking what," he continued, loud and fucking proud, "He doesn't want you. For some fucking reason he chose me and I ain't giving him up, not now, not ever. Definitely not to some North Side fucking pussy who wouldn't know how to make him happy if he handed you a fucking list of instructions. Now you're gonna go out there," Mickey gestured to the bathroom door with the hand not still pointing at Ian, "And you're gonna make nice with Debs, you're gonna tell her you'd love to take her fucking portrait and you're gonna arrange a time and place. Then you're gonna finish your damn drink and shut the hell up. And if I catch you so much as looking at Ian again, in a way I don't like, well I'm gonna rethink my whole no fucking hitting Ian's friends policy and I'm gonna beat your ass back to the 'right side of the tracks', you understand?"

Ryan didn't so much as glance at Ian as he nodded quickly and made a beeline for the door. Mickey, quite literally kicked his ass through it, although to be fair it was more like a tap, then he turned on his heel and started pacing in front of a startled Ian.

"I don't fucking care," Mickey ground out, "I'm a jealous son of a bitch, I know it, you know it, and I don't fucking care if it's stupid or fucking pathetic. I don't want anyone else's hands on you, I don't wanna fucking share and I don't want fucking people to think they got any right to talk to you that way," he gestured to the bathroom door with one hand as he rubbed his lower lip with the thumb of the other. "I trust you Ian, I do, but I don't trust anyone else and I don't fuckin' like them acting like they know you cause they fucking don't. I know you, I fucking kno..."

Ian threw himself at his lover, kissing him fiercely, throwing him against the closed bathroom door and devouring his mouth in a kiss that he just knew was gonna leave bruises, his fucking bruises he thought possessively as he pushed harder against his lover. Mickey clutched onto Ian's neck with his hands and refused to let either of them come up for air. He poured all of his pent-up emotions into the kiss, showed Ian as best he could how long that aggression had been building up, showed him he was the only one who could ease it, and soon the two were rutting against each other, uncontrollably searching for friction. "Don't you ever hide your jealousy again!" Ian gasped into his lovers mouth, eyes filled with lust and longing, not pulling away but allowing for some much-needed breath before crashing their lips together again, in return Mickey threw them across the room and pinned his red-head to the opposite wall, thrusting a leg between Ian's thighs and breathing into his panting mouth.

It was hot and heavy, desperate and clingy. It lasted longer than it should in a public place, with people waiting for them outside, but still not long enough for either of them. Afterwards, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other as they both simultaneously tried to dress themselves and tried to undress each other. Ian gasped into a kiss before laughing and reluctantly pushing the older boy away so he could do up his fly before the ex-con got any ideas. "You're not the only jealous asshole." he stated softly as Mickey looked him up and down, checking the younger boy out in his disheveled state and thoroughly liking what he saw.

Mickey raised his eyebrows and looked at the taller boy inquisitively.

"Gideon," Ian supplied, eyes going dark and dangerous. "I don't fucking like him, he keeps..." Ian sighed and waved his hand around like a crazy person, "Talking to you and shit." He finished weakly, glaring at Mickey when the older boy just laughed. "What?" He yelled back defensively, "He thinks he can just turn up here all smiles and easy conversation, he likes you Mickey, he thinks he knows you, obviously he likes you cause you're fucking outstanding and he thinks he gets to just... What... be your fucking friend and talk to you and play fucking pool and..."

It was Mickey's turn now to cut Ian off with a kiss. He pulled his lover in close and smiled into his mouth. "That's what all that was?" He asked humorously.

Ian just growled into another kiss and moaned slightly when Mickey gently pushed away from him.

"Not that I wouldn't love another round Firecrotch," Mickey laughed, "But you're on damage control, Debbie's pissed at Mandy, Lip, who I'mma kill by the way, his girlfriends just showed up and Mandy's drinking everything in reach. I'm guessing Ryan's none to pleased with what just happened either and you're better at dealing with... Ya know... People and shit than I am, so before someone starts a fucking riot... We gotta get back out there."

"Argh, fuck Ryan, fuck Lip and his new girlfriend, fuck it all," Ian laughed back as he shamelessly groped his lover in the public toilet of a dingy bar in the heart of the South Side.

But alas, with one last violent, passionate, kiss both boys separated and headed for the door, still laughing and fighting and touching in any way possible. Both silently decided to never again hide their jealousy again because it's just another part of them as a couple. The need to defend the other, even when they didn't need it, to selfishly keep each other as theirs and theirs alone. From the outside it probably seemed pathetic and destructive and co-dependant, all that bullshit that neither boy gave a shit about, because for them it was natural. To want each other exclusively and possessively, it was who they were and they both fucking loved it that way, so screw everyone else and screw personal development because to them jealousy wasn't just an ugly emotion. It was a truth.

-x-

Gideon smiled at the annoyingly happy pair as they emerged from the bathroom. Ryan flinched and withdrew slightly and Mandy ignored them in favour of downing someone's beer. Hollie was staring wistfully at Ian and Debbie was glaring between Mandy and her brother, as if this was his fault for not controlling his best friend. Carl and Bonnie were attempting to play pool for money, but with neither of them having all that long an attention span, the game was rapidly descending into anarchy, with Kev monitoring closely in case any potential for damage arose. Vee and Fiona were stood on the other side of the bar, leaning against it and talking animatedly with Lip and his new squeeze, Amanda, wasn't it, and various other patrons were milling about the place like they belonged there.

As Ian and Mickey grappled in the doorway for a few seconds longer, needing to carry on touching for as long as possible, the front door to The Alibi swung open and in marched four people no one had wanted to see tonight.

"Well, well, well," Iggy snarled, "We heard there was a little celebration being held for our little sister," he proclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his affronted tone. He scowled around the room before his gaze fell on Mickey, "Guess our invite got lost in the mail."


	21. The Brothers Return

"The fuck you doing here?" Mickey yelled back, instinctively standing in front of Ian and raising his arm to guard his lover.

"Aw whats the matter 'brother'," Iggy scoffed disgustedly at the word, "Not happy to see us?"

"Fuck You... Leave!" Was all the Milkovich boy responded.

Iggy made to step forward, followed by the rest of the Milkovich horde, when all attention snapped to the sound of a rifle being cocked behind the bar.

"He said leave." Kev said firmly, pointing the gun squarely at Iggy.

"You gonna use that piece of shit?" Jamie scoffed, pushing Iggy to resume approaching Mickey.

Mickey stepped forward and snarled at his brothers. "He won't need to..." He commanded, "Cause there aint gonna be a fucking problem here, you're gonna turn the fuck around and walk away."

"Yeah?" Jamie sang happily, "You gonna make me fag boy?" He taunted.

"He doesn't, I will!" Mandy slurred from her seat, staring menacingly at her brothers.

"What? He your only brother now?" Jamie asked incredulously.

"Only one that matters right now," was her immediate response.

Joey frowned at his sister and looked to the floor, obviously uncomfortable with being there and the only one of the Milkovich siblings not currently staring daggers at Mickey.

"We just came to say happy birthday to our little sister, that a crime now?" Jamie scoffed, not looking away from the ex-con still fiercely guarding his red-headed lover.

"S'not my birthday, try again tomorrow." The female Milkovich retorted, firm and resolute, standing slowly and staring her brothers down, her arms leaning down on the table in front of her.

Also around the table were Gideon and Ryan, both of whom were frantically looking around at all of the faces in the bar. Ryan obviously scared and not bothering to hide it. Bonnie and Carl were still by the pool table but had ceased all movement, both looking between the Milkovich siblings nervously. Because although both youngsters loved chaos and fighting, they both knew that now was not the time, the place, nor the situation to be hoping for violence, no they both understood that this thing escalating was bad news for everyone.

Two people that didn't seem to realise the gravity of the situation, however, were Debbies friends. Although the Gallagher girl herself was looking at Mickey with sad, worried, eyes, her friends were staring at the intruders with wide smiles, a sort of grim and morbid fascination about what would come next splattered across their faces. Kev still had his gun fixed on the thugs in front of him, while Vee stood next to him with her hands on her hips, ready to reach for the phone and call the police. Fiona, like her best friends, had a look of disgust on her face, sat in front of the bar she was staring at the Milkovich siblings with no idea what to do to. Lip sat next to her, with Amanda next to him, and whilst she was looking at the brothers contemplatively, obviously trying to work out what was happening now, and what would likely happen next, Lips gaze was on a different Milkovich. He was looking at Mandy with sorrowful and sympathetic eyes. He knew how mush she loved her family and he knew how much it tore her up that they were ripping apart. That their bond was breaking.

"You heard what she said," Ian spat from his position behind Mickey, he had his hand in its usual spot on the other boys back. "You heard what he said," he continued, gesturing to Kev with his free hand. "You heard what Mick said," he snarled again. "Now hear me," he growled as Mickey stepped forward pro-actively, when the Milkovich brothers once again moved to walk towards them. "Leave!"

"How sweet," Iggy mocked, "A proper little couple."

Mickey just growled and rested his hand firmly on Ian's stomach, stopping the younger boy from doing something stupid like charging at the would be troublemakers.

"You're nothing," Jamie spat back, "Look at you, couple 'a months ago you wouldn't have told us to leave, you'd 'a made us... Pathetic!"

"You're not a Milkovich," Tony scoffed.

"You're fucking nothing," Iggy furthered.

All eyes turned to Joey, awaiting his addition to the barrage of insults, some with smiles, some with worry. Mandy looked sad, disappointed maybe, selected others looked sympathetic, whilst at the same time disgusted. Ian looked angry and determined, ready to fight. Mickey, on the other hand, just looked neutral, a forced and fierce sort of neutral that could only have been practiced and perfected to hide a sort of hurt and turmoil that made Ian hate the other Milkovichs even more for inflicting it on the man he loves. The initial resignation on his face had been replaced almost immediately with this faux calm and, although Mickey hated the idea of fighting with his brothers, who he had spent the entirety of his life fighting to protect, he was ready to now fight for the red-head behind him.

"How the mighty have fallen," Jamie laughed himself, when Joey seemed to have nothing to add, the latter standing a few steps behind his brothers looking torn between anger, disgust and sorrow. "You used to be somebody Mickey, you used to be a fucking Milkovich, you used to be the baddest of us all!"

"You used to have it all, big bad fucking brother!" Iggy growled. "Dad's favourite..."

"Like that's a fucking good thing?" Mickey yelled back defensively.

"Mandy's favourite... Mums...!" He continued as if Mickey hadn't said a word.

"You don't know the fucking half of it," the tattooed ex-con scoffed sarcastically.

"My favourite!" His angry brother shouted brutally, "All our fucking favourites! Mickey Milkovich, the one every one was scared of, the one we could count on, the one who wouldn't let us fucking down!"

"Who changed that?" Mandy shouted from her position, still leaning against the table in front of her.

"But now?" Iggy snorted, holding his arms out and gesturing around the room, once again ignoring the interruption. "Look at you now, you're nothing, you're no one! And you've got nothing. No respect, no fucking name, no family!"

"He's got us!" Carl screamed from beside the pool table, finding his courage against the bullying Milkovich's.

The intruders laughed and scoffed and eyed the people surrounding them. Mandy smiled, still sorrowful but also still genuine and Ian beamed as he saw his siblings nod their heads in agreement. Mickey didn't dare to change his expression, his insides softened at the gesture and he could feel the beginnings of a small smile but he shrugged it away because he couldn't drop the neutral. If he allowed his brothers to see the smile, they'd also see the hurt it was covering up and he didn't want to give them that sort of ammunition.

"What?" Iggy sang pathetically, "He a Gallagher now?"

"If he wants to be!"

And that right there, that would have been a surprise enough, but what made everyone do a double take, what shocked the most, was the voice. That was Fiona's voice, those were her words, her honest sentiment. Of course they all knew she had been making an effort to get along with the younger boy and they had made a lot of progress, but for her to think of him as family... Well that was a step that everyone, including her best friend, who was now standing by the telephone staring at her with shock, amusement and pride all rolled in to one interesting facial expression, thought would take years.

"Mickey may not be the 'baddest' of you anymore?" Fiona scoffed disgustedly, mocking their words with air quotes and a frown. "But he is still the best of you." She stood from her stool and boldly faced down the Milkovich thugs in front of her, arms crossed at the waist and snarl not faltering for a second.

"And he might not have you guys anymore..." Debbie shouted proudly, also finding her courage through the words of her younger brother and oldest sister. "But he's got us, and apparently we last longer!"

"Yeah and I mean," Lip stood now too, "He's still the same Mickey right?" He smirked at the four boys in front of him, "He's loyal to a fault right, scariest son of a bitch in the South Side, so if he's not a Milkovich anymore, if he's a Gallagher, then I know who he's gonna be fighting for now and I gotta say, I know who in this room I really wouldn't wanna be right about now!" Mickey clenched his fist, seemingly to prove Lip's point, but deep down to fight the wave of sadness at having it all come to this. Ian stood behind him and gripped hard against his back with one hand, his shoulder with the other. "That is why he was your favourite... I mean he was the one you were scared of right, he was the one you knew would have your back... BE ABLE to have your back, when shit hit the fan?" Condescension dripped from Lip's voice. "Well shits hitting the fan and Mickey's one of us!"

"Yeah and now we've got his back too, and I'm the one with the shotgun so before this escalates to a place we'll all regret, why don't you do us all a favour and get the fuck out of my bar!" That wasn't a question, that was an order.

"You always gonna have your new bodyguards around?" The Milkovich brothers were hesitating now, making no move forward, but also making no move back.

"Yeah, he is!" Ian announced firmly, "But it's not like he needs us," he proclaimed proudly. "We all know he doesn't need protection, especially not from you! But whether he needs us or not, he's got us and we aint going anywhere. Neither's he so you're gonna have to get used to seeing us around," he gestured between himself and his lover, the 'together' fully implied. "And you're gonna have to get used to walking the other way, cause he might not wanna fight with you but I really, really do, so please... I beg you... Just give me one little fucking reason!"

"You think we're scared of you?" Jamie retorted.

"Nah, but Lip's right, you're scared of Mickey, not that I need his protection either... See the thing is, me and Mick may be a couple of fags, but that doesn't mean we're pussies... Nah Mickey, man..." Ian smiled as he elongated the name that rolled so perfectly off his tongue, "He's not only the 'baddest' and the best person I know," he mocked, "but he's also the strongest and the fiercest and the most addictive and contagious..."

"You gonna fucking swoon or some shit?" Iggy said scornfully.

"Nahh see the point is," Ian responded instantly, still smiling, "Mickey is the most important person in my life, I love the son of a bitch, and I get my strength from him, and what   
strength that is..." Ian moved to stand level with Mickey now, smiling contentedly when Mickey didn't stop him. "I'd do anything for him, just like he would me, like he once would have you... Probably would again if you could pull your ignorant homophobic heads out of your uptight arses long enough to realise he's still the same fucking Mickey he's always been and you're the ones missing out by pushing him away. I'd fight for him, I'd kill for him and knowing its him I'm doing it all for is what means I'll always win. So like I said, give me a reason, any little fucking reason, and I'll break every bone in your fucking bodies before I let you anywhere near enough to fucking touch Mickey, whether he wants, or needs, me to or not!"

"How fucking sweet..." Jamie started condescendingly.

"Leave," Mickey interrupted, "Before you do something stupid that's gonna make me do something stupider and end with you in the hospital." He spat sinisterly.

"You threatening us now? you threatening fa..."

"What? Family?" Mickey laughed, "You aint fucking family remember! Your choice, not mine, but it's all good man! You don't want a fucking fairy as a brother... Fine... But you aint the only family I got," Mickey looked to his drunken sister and smirked before looking back to his brothers. "Mandy asked you to leave..." He then scanned the room andlooked at all of the people who'd had his back, "They asked you to leave..." Then he turned to Ian and smirked wider and more brilliant, more Mickey, than he had all night. "Ian asked you to leave and he's more family than anyone, more than I asked for and more than I fucking deserve, so you can bet your ass that I will break you if you go near him. And if you were gonna start shit now you woulda done it already. You wanted to provoke me, fine, consider me provoked, now get the fuck out of here before I act on it because I really don't wanna spend tonight in a jail cell when I could be our bed," he smiled as he pointed between himself and his boyfriend. "In our fucking house... Ya know..." He winked cockily, "Bent over the mattress with him balls deep!" Mickey laughed at the horrified faces of those around him, not all Milkovich faces he was amused to note.

Iggy stepped forward at that, disgust and a thirst for violence etched into his features. Mickey advanced as well and a collective holding of breaths was only broken when Joey grabbed his angry brother's arm and pulled him back. "Let's go," he part pleaded, part demanded. "Now!" He yelled forcefully when no one made to move away.

Kev cocked the gun again and Ian crossed his own arms over his chest. "Now..." Mandy reaffirmed, eyeing her brothers cautiously, not backing down but also not provoking.

The Milkovich siblings all spat their disgust and collectively offered up a few more threats and insults before turning on their heels and storming out of the bar. Promises of 'this isn't over' clear from their exit. Joey stayed in place though, now staring just as fiercely at Mickey as his brothers had before.

"It worth it... All this?" He was definitely angry now, he gestured to himself and the door his siblings had just retreated through. "He worth it?"

"If he wasn't I would be walking out that door with you!" Mickey replied instantaneously.

The two brothers looked at each other for a while, really looked at each other, trying to sum the other up, to figure them out. Something they had never needed to do before because their bond had always been so easy, so instinctive and natural. But here they were trying to pry something from the other and all the surrounding bystanders could do was watch in silence, scared to provoke anything again.

"This wasn't our choice," Joey protested, maybe moments, maybe minutes later.

"Wasn't mine either!" Mickey shot back. "But I wouldn't fucking change it."

Joey smiled sadly and nodded his head. "You never did do anything by half, huh?" And with that Joey turned and walked to the door, not hesitating for even a second as he opened it and passed through, not looking back and not offering any resolution.

"Joey?" Mandy yelled after him, moving from her spot behind a table and marching after her brother. "Joey," she shouted again as she reached the door and hurled it open.

Joey was walking down the road, the other Milkovich brothers nowhere to be seen. He was walking briskly, hands in pockets and head to the floor, he was pointedly ignoring his younger sister and, like Mickey had earlier, hiding any and all emotion behind a guise of nonchalance.

"You don't hate him!" Mandy protested loudly, shutting the door behind her and staring down the road at her, now, motionless brother.

"Yeah, I do..." He said quietly back.

"No, you want to, but you don't!"

"I have to..." He declared resolutely.

Now Mandy moved, flailing her arms and walking toward her sibling. "Why?" She asked incredulously. "Because fucking Terry told you to, because our shit head brothers do?"

"You don't get it Mands," He exclaimed right back, turning, red faced and angry, to face his sister. "You don't get any of it do you?"

"Get what? That he's gay? He's still fucking Mickey Joe... So what, he likes other dudes! What the fuck difference does it make?"

"It's fucking Un..."

"Unnatural? Disgusting? Fucking Inhumane?" Both shouting now, both unconcerned with who could possibly overhear them.

"Unbearable!" He screamed back, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "You don't fucking get it Mandy, you think everything ends up fine, everything works out in the end... Because it always has for you... Because we've always made sure it has for you... Mickey..."

"Did the same thing for you, for all of you and now you hate him because of something he can't control!" She was pleading now.

"He had a choice!"

"An unfair choice, lie and hide and be miserable or lose every one who was supposed to give enough of a shit about him to not walk away!"

"It was still a choice!" Joey stepped forward swiftly, anyone else being advanced on by a Milkovich like this would be stupid not to be intimated. But Mandy was furious and desperate and not backing down.

"You would have had him lie, and pretend, and hurt forever? What the fuck would you have done if you were him?"

"I wouldn't be him! I would never be that!" Disgust overtook the Milkovich male.

"That's dad speaking, not you!"

"I am fucking Terry! We all are, don't you get it yet Mandy! He raised us, he made us what we are and it aint something you can just forget!"

"Yeah well he raised Mickey too, imagine what it must have been like for him when he realised. It's been years Joe, years of hating himself more than any of you could possibly hate him now. But yeah he made a choice, now, because he had too, because he was pushed into it by our psycho of a father. He was gonna kill Ian, Joey, he was gonna force Mickey into a marriage he couldn't handle. He was gonna ruin his god damn life... Would you really have made a different choice?"

"I woulda chosen us, our fucking family. It wasn't Terry he was throwing away Mandy, it was us. You, me, our fucking brothers. And we weren't good enough for him. I would have chosen our family rather than... that... whatever that is in there!" He gestured to the Alibi, from where the music could still be heard.

"He didn't choose to throw you away! He didn't throw me away! He still has me Joey, because that was my choice, just like it was your choice to lose him!" Mandy was talking softer now, still firm and resolute, but no longer shouting.

"He knew this would happen..."

"He's not in the wrong!" Mandy interrupted, no longer willing to listen to this same old shit, "And you don't hate him. You want to, you think you should and you've convinced yourself he deserves it... But he doesn't, and you dont... And you know he loves you and you know he'll be there when you... If... you eventually come round and stop being an asshole... And he'll forgive you for it all even though you don't deserve it! Because he is a Milkovich, and he was raised by Terry, and he thinks that same way about himself as you do, he thinks he deserves what you're doing, that it's OK. Well you're all idiots, and you're all wrong."

Joey looked deep into his sisters eyes and made to reply, but the dark haired girl raised her hand and closed her eyes, looking to the floor as she inhaled deeply. "I love you, all of you... Ig, Jamie, Tony... Mick... And I want my fucking family back," tears stained Mandy's cheeks as she finally raised her head to return Joey's gaze. "But not at Mickey's expence. He isn't in the wrong, he doesn't deserve any of this, and if having my family back means him going back into the black hole he must have been living in for years, dealing with this shit alone... Then I won't be a part of it, I won't let it happen."

"Mandy..."

"No I mean it Joe, stay away from him, if you're really just Terry's little bitch and that in there is all you got left for Mickey... Fucking hate... Then stay the fuck away from him... All of you... Or you're gonna lose your sister too!"

With that Mandy turned and walked away, not waiting for a response or looking at his reaction. She walked back into the Alibi, back to her brother and flung her arms around him and let herself cry. Just for a second, just for a fleeting moment so she could catch her breath and get a grip of herself. Letting go into the shoulder of the person she trusted more than anyone else in the world. Then she pushed herself away and grabbed onto Mickey's shoulders, holding him at arms length she offered him a smile, an honest and hopeful smile, promising that everything would be OK. She'd make sure of it.

Mickey just smiled back quickly, hugged her sharply, then threw her over his shoulder and stomped to the bar, demanding a pint of water as he went. "Time to sober up little sister, you'll thank me in the morning!"

Mandy just laughed along with her red-headed best friend and allowed her brother to force feed her pint after pint, until the normality had returned to every one in the bar.

 

-x-

 

"Well that went well!" Lip announced, as he held the Alibi door open for Amanda.

"Yeah," Ian said tiredly, doing up his coat and waiting less that patiently for Mickey to light a cigarette. "Next time Debs wants to impress some friends, she can steal them something like a normal person."

"Hmm," Lip agreed, helping Amanda search for her car keys. "Well I'm too fucking wired to call it a night, how about we get something to eat or something?"

Lip looked around, confirming the invitation was to everyone and not just his sorta girlfriend.

"Nah man, me and public places probably shouldn't mix right now!" Mickey said lightly, "You can go though?" He added, looking into Ian's eyes.

"I'm with you." The younger boy smiled back.

"Then you better not be tired cause we're looking after my piss head of a sister tonight, gotta make sure she doesn't fall asleep in a puddle of her own puke or summit."

"Awww nice Mick," Ian laughed, holding the door open himself when he heard Mandy fumble with the handle from inside.

"Oh fuck you both, I do not need looking after, I'm fine!" Mandy protested as she stomped out the door, shrugging off Ian's hand as he tried to help her walk.

"Yeah I'd believe that if you could walk more than two steps without almost falling over."

Mandy glared at her brother before exhaling and crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, so I'm a little tipsy still, but I'm not gonna be sick, I don't need taking care of and I can walk by my god damn self!"

With this Mandy stormed down the pavement and pointedly ignored her brothers eyes roll.

"Hey yo, you still staying at our place?" Mickey called after her.

"YES!" Mandy shouted in return, still not looking back.

"Then turn the fuck around douche bag." Her older brother scoffed.

Mandy stopped dead, exhaled again then uncurled her arms and rested her hands on her hips. She looked up to the sky and closed her eyes, opening them again only as she slowly turned around. She walked forward again, not making eye contact with either her brother or best friend, her ex or his new girlfriend, or anyone else that may have been lingering in the street. She brushed passed them all and headed for the Milkovich/Gallagher house she was trying her hardest not to think of as her own home.

Mickey and Ian just laughed as they followed her movements with their eyes. They started walking after her before Mickey caught Ian's hand to still him in his tracks, he nodded his head towards Lip, who was staring intently at the red-head.

"Ummm," Ian said awkwardly, "Did you wanna come back to ours? We're just gonna chill with a beer or something, nothing fancy and we got no food in..." Ian asked politely, fully expecting, and if he was honest hoping, that the couple in front of him would have better things to do with their time and therefore say no.

"Yeah sure," Lip announced cheerfully though, as Amanda shook her head. Her eyes widened as she looked questioningly at Lip, he just shrugged and started happily describing the house that Amanda just 'had' to see.

Ian sagged into his boyfriends side, slumping to rest his head on the ex-con's shoulder. "What the fuck just happened?" He asked, honestly confused.

"This shit better not be about my sister." The black haired boy affirmed, scowling at Lip as he detailed to his new girlfriend all of the things he'd had a hand in fixing in the house, his ex-girlfriend, Mickey's only current sibling, walking in a decidedly wonky line just a few steps ahead of them.

Ian laughed and bit his lover's shoulder, eliciting a laugh from the older boy. Then he looked up into the deep blue eyes that were now focused entirely on him, smiled and kissed him softly before turning to follow after the miscreants he called family.


	22. The Look of, True, Love

"KEYS!" Mandy yelled from the top step of the house.

Mickey put his cigarette into his mouth, inhaling deeply as he took his set of keys out of his pocket and hurled them to his sobering sister. "Man this has been a long fucking night." He exhaled slowly.

Ian slumped against him as they pushed through the garden gate behind Lip and Amanda. "It aint over yet." He retorted with a sarcastic happiness that had them both feeling twice as exhausted as they had been when they left the bar in the first place.

"Listen Mick..." Ian said as he grabbed the shoulders of the boy he loved and turned both of them so they were staring intently into each others eyes. Mandy had managed to unlock the door and clambered through it, shortly followed by Lip and Amanda, so Ian decided to make use of probably the only moment of privacy him and Mickey would get for a while.

But Mickey had other ideas. "It's fine," he stated back, "Well it's not fine, it's fucked, and you wanna talk about it, you wanna fix it and make sure I'm all good... And you wanna know how I'm feeling and all that shit... But Ian, I can't deal with that right now OK?"

Ian just looked into the blue eyes he loved so much and smiled invitingly, reassuringly.

"Look," Mickey placated, "We'll talk about it," he said, holding Ian's shoulders and raising his eyebrows in earnest. "Talk to your hearts fucking content!" He affirmed. "But one thing at a time, OK?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders and dropping his arms. "Let's just deal with all that stupid shit..." He gestured to the house, or more importantly its occupants, "And then we'll deal with this stupid shit." This time gesturing to himself, and then waving his arm in the general direction of the Milkovich household he once called home.

Ian smiled warmly and nodded, he lowered his head so his and Mickey's foreheads were pressed together and both boys inhaled deeply with closed eyes. After a second of holding their breaths and collecting their thoughts, building up what little energy they had left, the young lovers exhaled together.

"Let's get this shit over and done with!" Mickey drawled, gently knocking his forehead against the red-heads before pushing away and moving towards the front door of their house, his lover hot on his heels.

 

-x-

 

"It's nice..." Amanda commented for the third time in as many minutes, the tour had been short and sweet as the house was still not finished, but Lip had been thorough about his brothers plans for the place and Amanda had ummed and ahhed in all the appropriate places.

Mickey just laughed and handed around barely chilled beer from the fridge, "Just say its a fucking 'fixer upper' and be done with it," he joked.

Amanda looked torn, not wanting to offend, so Ian stepped in to reassure her. "It's OK," he said gently, "We know it needs a lot of work, but it's ours," he shrugged and smiled brightly at his brothers new sorta girlfriend, "I fucking love this place."

Amanda smiled too now, nodding her agreement. "I would fucking kill to have my own place, the novelty of living with mum, dad and a shed load of money wears off pretty damn quick when you realise you gotta follow all their damn rules."

"Yeah must be real hard," Mickey scoffed, but their was humour behind his remark, not judgement. Amanda looked to Mickey cautiously, but upon seeing the amused smile on his face, the tension oozed from her shoulders and she laughed too.

"I'm just saying," she proclaimed happily, "I'd take this place over theirs any day!"

"Well mummy and daddy's money can't buy everything and this place aint anyone elses to take!" Mandy exclaimed as she descended the stairs after what had to have been the quickest bathroom visit in the history of drunken bathroom visits. She retakes her seat in the circle of teenagers sat on the floor and accepts her own beer from Ian, much to Mickey's dismay.

"I wasn't... I didn't mean..." Amanda stumbled quickly.

"Joking!" Mandy announced shortly, tone a fake sort of casual that no one was buying.

Mickey rolled his eyes and Ian tapped his best friend with his foot, mouthing 'be nice' when she looked at him, wounded and innocent. Mandy was sitting next to Ian, who in turn was next to Mickey. Mickey was sprawled out with his legs in front of him, taking up more room than his sister and lover put together. Next was Amanda, sat a little further away than the other three were to each other, positioned practically in Lip's lap. The oldest Gallagher boy, finished the wonky sort of circle, with the distance between him and Mandy the biggest of all.

"Whatever bitch," Mickey jabbed his sister, "House aint yours either, you puke anywhere tonight and you are cleaning it the fuck up yourself, my place, my rules!" He said proudly.

Mandy was just about to protest, for like the hundredth time that she wasn't gonna god damn puke, when she was beaten to talking by her red-headed best friend.

"Your place, huh?" He asked cockily.

"Damn right! My place, your place... Our fucking place... It's all the same!" The ex con shook his head at his lovers dumb grin and distracted himself from smiling by taking another long drink from his beer bottle.

Amanda smiled warmly at the interaction, Lip just smirked and looked into his beer. Ian was still grinning and Mickey was still masking his own smile. Mandy... Mandy kicked Mickey in the shin and all but shouted, "I'm not gonna fucking puke! And I aint cleaning up after anyone who does!" But when the smiles and the eye contact between her brother and his boyfriend didn't falter for even a second, well it was possible Mandy who smiled brightest of all.

 

-x-

 

"What are you doing Lip?" Ian asked as he closed the front door behind him.

Lip had come out earlier, claiming to need some fresh air, telling Amanda that there was no need for her to follow if she was cold. The girl wasn't dumb, she knew when she wasn't wanted to follow.

"What?" The sandy-haired boy replied innocently.

"Yeah, don't even bother with that shit, you know exactly what!"

"I'm just getting some air!"

"Why are you here?"

"I already told you, just..."

"Here!" Ian reaffirmed boldly, "At this house?"

"What, I'm not welcome here now?" Lip asked, knowing exactly what his brother was asking but choosing to fake annoyance anyway.

Ian just rolled his eyes and sat down next to his brother.

"Why are you here Lip, why didn't you take Amanda out or something, go home and fucking bang, go out and bang, anything? Why did you bring her back here, with Mands..."

"Whatever you're thinking, don't!" He interrupted.

"OK," Ian said gently. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both unsure of what to say next. Lip opened his mouth to speak several times, always faltering and closing it again before any sounds could surface. It was Ian who spoke next, still gently, but firmly none the less. "Leave her alone Lip."

Lip's eyes shot to his brother, instantly ready to protest. Ian's own hands shot up to silence the older boy and he breathed deeply before continuing. "You don't wanna hurt her, I get that. But you don't love her Lip... You may not love Amanda, hell you may not even like her all that much, I don't know... But you don't love Mandy, you only want her when she isn't yours, because... I know you Lip... And it felt good for you, to be the centre of someones world... And I get that, I do, I'm not judging you man. But this is Mandy, she deserves better than that, you know she does. She's OK Lip, so just please, don't screw her over now."

Lip looked at his younger brother, really looked at him, and smiled. "You got so wise man," he laughed, shoving the red-head away when he tried to get him in a headlock. "Her family's falling apart Ian, I just wanna make sure she's OK, I mean really OK."

"She will be, I'll make sure of that!" Ian responded proudly.

Lip just shook his head and frowned so Ian shot up from his seat and descended down the steps to stand in front of his brother.

"Am I wrong Lip? If I'm wrong and you do love, or, hell, if you just fancy her but you can see some sort of future, any fucking future, then tell me to fuck off... Tell me to shut the fuck up and get up off your ass and go do something about it!" Ian gestured to the front door and waited with raised eyebrows for his brothers response.

Lip just sighed and shook his head, resting it further down between his knees. "I'm sorry man, I just... I care about her, OK, I can't be what she needs or wants or any of that shit, but I still fucking care."

"I know," Ian said with an easy smile.

"I do, by the way," Lip said back, finally looking up at his brother. "Like her that is, Amanda. I mean, I didn't at first, she kinda freaked me out! But shes cool man, smart, funny, weird in all the interesting kinda ways..." Lip smiled then, a genuine, if slightly uncertain smile. "I like her," he restated.

Ian just nodded his head. "Me too," he said happily as he walked back up the stairs to the front door.

"I like her..." He said again into the silence of his legs, long after his brother had gone back inside. He exhaled deeply, closed his eyes, then stood and followed after his sibling.

 

-x-

 

"Have I done something to you?" Amanda asked carefully, walking slowly to stand next to Mandy, who was tinkering with the fridge trying to get it to get colder.

"You tell me?" The Milkovich girl remarked back.

"Listen," Amanda said softly, arms raised in surrender. "I'm sorry, you're gonna have to spell this one out."

"Some fancy college education you got there!" Mandy scoffed back.

Amanda didn't say anything, she didn't move away and she didn't take her eyes off the younger girl in front of her. After a few moments of silence, Mandy exhaled and removed her head from the luke warm refrigerator.

"You haven't done anything..." She breathed out hurriedly, "OK?"

"Well not really," the older girl replied honestly. "I wanna fix whatever it is."

"Nothing to fix!"

"OK..." Amanda fumbled for words as Mandy went back to fumbling with the fridge. She took a deep breath them plummeted forward. "Listen, I like Lip..." She barked out before she could stop herself.

Mandy instantly stiffened, not liking where this was going.

"I don't know what this is," Amanda continued, oblivious to Mandy's nervousness. "Between me and him, I have no fucking idea," she laughed. "But he obviously cares about you guys," she said gesturing around the house. "I'm not stupid Mandy, I know somethings gone on between you and Lip in the past and you're obviously still important to him and if things aren't over between you guys then just say the word and I'll back off... But if they are, and this thing between me and him is in any way for real... Then it's important for me to get along with the people who are important to him... And that means you Mandy... So just tell me what I gotta do"?

Mandy stilled her movements and closed her eyes. She collected her thoughts as quickly as possible then looked around the fridge door to look into the other girls eyes. All she saw their was honesty and a genuine desire for resolution. Once again, she smiled at herself for the absurdity of her situation before glancing around to see if anyone coul hear her. Lip was probably still outside and Mandy could see Ian and Mickey sat on the sofa with a beer between them, laughing and joking and passing a joint. She looked over at them and drew strength from words of advice she knew they would both give without even having to ask them for it.

Mickey would tell her to stop being such a whiney bitch. He'd tell her to either kill the bitch and get it done with or suck it up and play nice. Then Ian would scorn him for being harsh so he'd reach out to hug her. Then probably give her a titty twister before he pulled fully away. Ian, on the other hand, would tell her it's OK to be jealous because it always sucks watching an ex move on. He'd tell her that she's got nothing to worry about though cause Mandy will always be the best woman he knew and Lip was a fool to not see it, he'd tell her that Lip wasn't good enough for her anyway and he'd be right god damn it. He'd tell her that her Mr Right had bigger muscles, a slightly smaller IQ and lot more common sense. Probably a bigger wallet too. He'd smile and say everything would be OK and then Mickey would kick him for being a sap so he'd roll his eyes and tell her to punch the bitch if she really wants to.

"It is over!" Mandy said boldly. She shut the fridge door and looked straight at Amanda. "Between me and Lip."

Amanda just nodded slowly and smiled a small smile, obviously not knowing how to respond.

"Look," Mandy continued, "Don't take it personally OK, I'm a Milkovich, I'm a bitch, especially if I've been drinking, it's in my damn DNA or some shit. We're good." She stood up straight and smiled earnestly at the shorter girl.

Amanda's smile grew and she rose from where she had been leaning, to stand up straight in front of Mandy. "Names Amanda," she announced proudly, reaching a hand out for Mandy to shake. "Over privileged college girl with parents who've got more money than sense. When I met Lip I was hooking up with his friend but then I got bored so gave him a blowy as he slept, been sorta going steady ever since. I'm so out of my depth here its fucking laughable, but I really do like everything I've seen so far. I love Ian and Mickey, I think they're fucking hilarious, and so damn cute, even though I'm guessing Mickey would rip me apart for saying it, and I'm so jealous of you that you get to be so close to them, which sounds way creepier than it actually is I swear!"

Mandy's smile grew steadily as Amanda spoke and by the time she finished her introduction the black-haired girl was laughing. She took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. "Mandy Milkovich, psycho bitch from the South Side, fucked up family I wouldn't swap for the world and fag of a best friend who I used to wish and pray would realise he was actually straight and in love with me..." Amanda laughed and nodded at this.

"Nice to meet you," she said honestly.

Mandy just smiled and scoffed, then grabbed two more beers and thrust one into Amanda's hand before uncapping her own. "So," she said dangerously, raising one suggestive eyebrow, "Want me to tell you embarrassing shit you can use against Lip when he's being an asshole, cause trust me he will be an asshole?"

Amanda laughed out loud and squeaked "God yes!" And with that the two girls barged back into the living room to hog most of the sofa, much to Ian and Mickey's immediate dismay.

 

-x-

 

"So... Mandy's passed out on the couch downstairs, Lip's taking Amanda home, Debs has just text me checking in, Karl has just text me asking why the fuck he wasn't invited back here with everyone else..." Ian caught his breath as he walked to the bed, "Fiona text asking how we all were with everything, saying she meant what she said at the bar, Kev text asking if you could still act as bouncer tomorrow for that biker convention thing he's running..." Another breath, "And Vee left a P.S. in Kev's text asking if you knew where she could get some horse tranquilizer?"

"Fuck she need ketamine for?" Mickey asked tiredly, lying on the bed and rubbing at his eyes.

"Not gonna ask," Ian quickly removed his clothes and sat down on the bed next to his partner. "And they'll all get their answers tomorrow. Right now..." He said, punctuating the subject change with a quick kiss to Mickey's lips. "Everyone whose leaving has left, everyone who's staying has passed out, everyone who's likely to contact us has already said what they gotta say." Ian slid into bed next to a just as naked Mickey and smiled at the warm skin that greeted his own. "It's just you," another kiss, "Me," a kiss with added hand on cheek, "And some peace and fucking quiet."

Both boys smiled into the next round of kisses, laughing and playing, biting and licking, generally losing themselves in the ease with which they could do this all now.

"And there is just one thing I wanna do right now..." Ian continued seductively, kissing as he spoke, "Now we're finally alone..."

"Oh yeah," Mickey said into another long kiss, "Whats that?"

Ian kissed him deep and passionately, rolling on top of him and grabbing his face in his hands. He leaned up and looked deep into his lovers eyes, "Go to sleep." He groaned desperately.

"Oh thank fuck," Mickey laughed, "I'm so fucking tired man!"

Both boys laughed as Ian rolled off the ex-con and lay back down beside him.

"Tomorrow..." Ian yawned, waving between himself and Mickey, "I will rock your world!"

Mickey just scoffed in reply, "Whatever tough guy," he said back with a smile.

After a couple of minutes of shuffling to get comfy both boys were ready to drift off. Mickey was on his back with his left hand on his chest. His head was facing Ian and his right hand was outstretched to rest on Ian's knee. Ian was on his side facing Mickey, his knees raised slightly and his left hand folded up near his head. His right hand was gently resting on Mickey's outstretched arm and both boys had soft smiles on their faces, both knowing that when they woke up they would have undoubtedly managed to get infinitely closer.

"Night Mick," Ian whispered into the silent room.

"G'night Firecrotch," Mickey breathed contentedly.

 

-x-

 

Mandy woke up with, well a slight understatement would be to say she had a small hangover. Even her tongue hurt. She slowly rose to sit up after several failed attempts at trying to swing her legs off the sofa to stand. Reaching around she managed to find the glass of water Ian had left for her, and further exploration led her to the aspirin, also from Ian, and the joint, presumably from Mickey. Mandy smiled and swallowed the pills, downed the water, and pocketed the spliff. She rose slowly to her feet and went directly to the kitchen for some more water.

After a good ten minutes of jolty movements, coffee-making, breakfast, bathroom, teeth rinsing etc, Mandy had finally managed to open her eyes fully. As a celebration for this small win she sparked up the joint and sat back on the sofa to watch some morning television before her brother and best friend woke up. After half an hour of what had to be the scariest fucking kids cartoon she had ever seen, Mandy decided to speed up the other inhabitants waking up process and trudged up the stairs none to quietly.

She listened at the door to make sure they weren't doing anything indecent, then knocked gently to see if they were already awake. After hearing nothing but a few soft snores she gently pushed the door open, because hey, if she was gonna waken them up she was gonna do it in style... Water over the face, scream in the ear, a fucking dive bomb onto the bed... Her fun wasn't going to be ruined by a creaky damn door.

As she finished pushing the door open, eyes closed and bottom lip gripped between her teeth, she plotted all the ways she could wake them up, rating them mentally to see which would piss off her brother most. She'd almost settled on an idea when she opened her eyes and stopped dead. Looking to the bed, all thoughts of waking them up were immediately shelved, as Mandy, for the first time, saw just how close people in love could sleep.

Mandy's not a prude, nor is she adverse to contact whilst sleeping. In fact she loves to share the body heat of another person. She loves to want and feel wanted, to wake up next to someone, even to wake up next to someone she loves. But there are obvious obstacles to maintaining a closeness whist asleep. There are the obvious factors like wriggling or just plain kicking out. There are more subtle factors like one persons mumbling being enough to drive the other away. Snoring having the same effect. An excess of body heat. Hell, one thing Mandy could never stand was the feel of someones breath against her neck or her cheek, no matter how much she loved that person or loved to snuggle, she couldn't imagine ever being able to withstand that breath against her skin for a whole night. None of this seemed to matter to Mickey or Ian though.

Both boys were lying on their sides facing each other. The blanket was pulled up to their hips but from what she could tell their legs were wrapped around each others and Ian's right arm was wrapped around Mickey's waist tightly. Neither of their left arms were visibly, pinned somewhere beneath the conjoined bodies. Mickey's right hand was gripping Ian's forearm, as if to stop him from being able to pull away, as if that were even a possibility. Their faces were so close that their noses were almost touching, their breath was certainly combined, Mandy flinched to realise. Their foreheads were touching softly and every time one of them made a slight twitch in their sleep the other seemed to naturally accommodate it and draw the other back in. They looked so damn peaceful and so damn natural and comfortable and a whole load of other sappy things that Mandy couldn't bring herself to ruin the image in front of her. Instead she captured it. Taking out her phone she took a few quick photos before slowly and quietly leaving the room.

If anyone asks those photos are for blackmail purposes only and she can't wait to see the look on Mickey's face when he realises someone other than Ian had caught him being quite so sappy. When anyone asks, those pictures are business. But when Mandy remembers that she can't lie to herself, well then, and only then, will she smile and say that those pictures were taken because that was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. And then she'll growl and pinch herself for being jealous of her brother. Her big dork, assface of a brother. Her assface of a brother and her idiot of a best friend, her two favourite people in the world.


	23. New Plans to Heal Old Wounds

"No way!" Fiona all but screamed to the wound up crowd surrounding her.

"PLEASE!" The youngsters in said crowd bellowed back pleadingly.

"No fucking way! You are not coming to the diner! No way in hell! I like my job thank you very much!"

As it turned out, Fiona's old boss Mike did have kind of a thing for her, him and his hot head brother. As it also turns out, he was a bore and his brother was an idiot and neither were of any interest to Fiona as she still seemed 100% committed to Jimmy/Steve, despite protests from various family members. He was starting to pay her more attention now after Fiona admitted to drunkenly kissing Mike on a work camping trip, and after the unwanted, and quite frankly, embarrassing attempts at in office flirting didn't subside, Fiona left the office one evening and simply didn't return the next day, or the next, or the next, and so on and so forth. On a girls night out with Vee to commiserate the loss of a good job well botched, the alarmingly sober duo bumped into an overworked and undervalued probation worker called Gail. After a few, now drunken, rounds of drowning sorrows and swapping tales, Gail excitedly announced she knew a late night dinner they could sober up in and she'd put a good word in for Fiona with the manager, who was a close personal friend. Needless to say, Fiona said all the right things, bolstered on by a cheering Vee and a determined Gail and so Charlie, the aforementioned manager, had agreed to take Fiona on, on a 3 week trial basis. Well, the trial period finished yesterday and the Gallagher's have collectively decided this means it is time for them to see where their big sister/guardian works, and meet the boss who has Fiona always happily smiling and Jimmy/Steve constantly looking worried. Charlie Peters, the ex-addict with the kind heart, the want to help those who need a second chance, the honest eyes and the winning smile.

Fiona, naturally, was having issues with the idea.

"Best behaviour!" Carl pledged, hand in the air and eyebrows raised.

"I'd actually love to go," Jimmy added innocently, sat at the kitchen island, looking deep into his cereal.

Fiona rolled her eyes and scoffed at her jealous boyfriend, secretly loving the feeling of him fighting for her finally.

"See!" Debbie proclaimed, as if this alone won the argument. "We've all got Tuesday free because we're down to help finish off the kitchen at Ian and Mickey's place. After we're done we can head down for celebratory food at the dinner, maybe get an employee discount?"

"You are not blagging my boss for free food," Fiona ordered back sternly, momentarily stopping the washing up to thrust the brush at her wayward siblings.

"But it's a good idea right?" The youngest Gallagher girl asked optimistically. "I mean, Ian's got the night off from work right and Mickey, he'll be up for it right?"

"Hey don't bring me into this," The Milkovich boy replied instantly, not stilling for a second, deep, as he was, in his mission to separate the last of his clothes from the Gallagher hordes washing up basket. "I'm just picking up this shit, then I'm off, pretend I ain't even here!"

Debbie hmphed dramatically and stared at the ex-con, a stare that was then mimicked by everyone else in the room, as if Mickey had the definitive answer.

"Jesus fucking Christ," the black-haired boy sighed, "I don't give a shit what we do, stay in, eat out... Fuck, why don't you guys to do whatever, leave me in peace to drink and smoke and forget I was ever a part of this conversation."

Debbie just rolled her eyes while Fiona moved her hands to rest on her hips, no ones glares strayed away from Mickey.

"Fucks sake, am I his fucking keeper or something?" Mickey mumbled to himself as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper. He and Ian had gone through their schedules so Mickey knew which nights Ian was busy, nights he was free to work at the garage, and which nights Ian was at home, nights they could spend some quality time together. "I'm at the garage for an hour Tuesday, Ian's coming with me so I can get the car done early and make sure you assholes don't destroy my kitchen. Neither of us are working, so Tuesday nights all good for whatever," Mickey explained, hands waving in the air to hopefully demonstrate just how little this all bothered him.

When, still, no one averted their gaze, Mickey exhaled slowly and turned to face his audience. "Yes... Debbie..." Mickey gritted out, "Ian'll love the idea, he's a fucking Gallagher, you people are all about getting up in each others business."

Debbie beamed and turned to Fiona, who thrust her arms to the side and shook her head in disbelief at the lack of support she was getting, even her best friends were seemingly in on the plot to ruin her life, Vee had rung her earlier to remind her to make room at the table for her and Kev.

"Nope, absolutely fucking not!" She protested, turning back to her sink of washing up.

Mickey just snorted and exhaled again, reaching into his other pocket and pulling out his phone. He hit speed dial 1 and put the gadget to his ear. Ian picked up on the first ring and Mickey said a quick "Hey," before lowering the phone and putting it on speaker.

"Nothing x-rated Firecrotch, you're on speaker, I'm still at yours and your family are this fucking close to a domestic, I swear to God!"

"OooooKayy?" Was the red-heads cautious response.

"Hey Ian," Debbie and Carl yelled merrily, Fiona mumbled grumpily from the sink and Jimmy said a quick "Hello" with a mouth full of cereal, spoon still dangling between his lips.

"Hey guys," he laughed back, "So what's going on?"

"Just tell 'em how much you wanna invade Fiona's diner, embarrass her, size up her boss, milk the guy for a discount, that sorta thing... Then Fiona can quit pretending to herself that there is any way in hell she wont give in eventually... Debbie and Carl can do their little victory dance and start organising everything and Jimmy can sneak upstairs to practice his best 'don't fuck with me or my girlfriend' stare in the mirror... And I can get the fuck out of here, go home, go the hell to bed and get myself all well rested for when you finish that shitty college application interview bullshit and come home to wake me up again...!"

"What he said!" Ian shouted as soon as Mickey mentioned the bed and Ian waking him up. Mickey smirked and ran his thumb over his bottom lip, imagining Ian could see it and was driving himself crazy with want. Just like Mickey was from simply hearing the younger mans voice.

"When the fuck did you become OK with openly discussing sex with my brother in front of the rest of the world?" Fiona asked incredulously.

"Since I told him I'd blow him for every time he made an effort to show the rest of the world a glimpse of what I see," Ian chirped through the speaker.

"Seriously, no sex talk. You're all fucking celibate as far as I'm concerned, always will be." With that Fiona turned around and resumed scrubbing the dishes.

"But seriously Fi," Ian's voice piped up again, "I really do wanna come check out where you work..."

"And you know that if you don't agree to go with 'em," Mickey added matter-of-factly, "They'll just go anyway without you and then shit really will get messy."

"Fine whatever, you make a good point," Fiona sighed deeply before turning authoritatively back to her youngest siblings, "My rules, no discounts, no trouble and no fights or you'll be grounded for the rest of your god damn lives, you hear me?" She waved the wooden spoon she had been washing between the excitable youngsters and mentally kicked herself for giving in again.

Mickey just snorted and turned the phone off of speaker, holding it to his ear as he walked from the house with all of his clothes safely in his back pack. "Yeah, I'm still here." He laughed into the receiver, "How god damn long is this college thing gonna take?"

 

-x-

 

Ian was finally finished, he was walking home with a spring in his step, feeling optimistic for his future after a day of meetings and suggestions and advice. He was blissfully unaware of his surroundings when he felt the sharp pang of a small rock hitting his shoulder.

"The fuck?" He yelled, rubbing the tender area and turning around with raised eyebrows and a scowl.

"Fucking fag!" Jamie shouted back, him and his brothers marching away from Ian with a chorus of laughter and self-appreciation.

Ian stared venomously for a matter of seconds before noticing one of the brothers Milkovich slowing in his retreat. Joey pulled away from his brothers and muttered something quietly before turning around and walking back towards the now fuming Gallagher.

"OK, hurry the fuck up though, ain't waiting for ya!" Iggy shouted without turning around. Joey blindly waved behind himself and continued to get closer to the red-head who'd stolen his brother. He didn't break stride or look to the floor, Joey stared at Ian as he walked, unflinching and determined. He came to a stop right in front of the unintimidated younger boy and for a minute nothing was exchanged but scowls.

"Do anything to hurt Mickey and I will fucking end you!"

Ian's mouthed dropped open and his eyebrows scrunched up as he stared into the unblinking eyes of the thug in front of him.

"I'm not the one hurting him," was Ian's somewhat perplexed but ultimately undeterred response. But Joey didn't react, he just continued to stare daggers into the red-heads eyes, until eventually he scoffed and turned on his heel to walk away.

"You think you know shit about who Mickey is just cause you two been fucking for a couple of years. I was raised with him, know him better than anyone. Whatever the fuck you and that shit show of a family of yours think you know about my brother... Well it don't even scratch the fucking surface. Whatever it is you're giving him, even if it's everything you bloody got... It aint enough..." Joey walked away then, muttering something under his breath that Ian couldn't decipher. He hadn't looked at Ian throughout that little speech, he had spoken loudly and firmly, he hadn't shied away from the words, but he had been staring at the floor. All Ian could do was huff out a long, uneasy breath and try to process what the fuck had just happened and what in hell it meant.

 

-x-

 

Ian walked straight into his house, dumped his bag and stormed from room to room until there was only one room left. Without knocking he slammed open the bathroom door and flung himself at the, thankfully just washing his hands, startled boy inside. He kissed him for all he was worth, determined to prove to himself that he was enough god damn it. He'd be enough until the day that Mickey told him he wasn't enough anymore, and then he'd be more.

Mickey kissed back with a startled laugh, cupping Ian's jaw and instantly deepening, and dirtying, the kiss.

"Should I be worried some college counselor got you all hot Gallagher?"

Ian just squeezed his eyes shut tighter with furrowed brows, he exhaled deeply then kissed his lover again.

"I love you Mick," he whispered severely, then he slowly started to peel himself away from the ex-con.

"Then get the fuck back here and finish what you started," Mickey answered, not letting Ian get so much as a hairs breadth away before grabbing his arms and pulling him back.

Ian laughed into Mickey's kiss and retaliated back with added further. Soon they became two frantic teenagers rubbing and touching, grinding and stroking, grasping for friction and moaning each others names in aroused whispers. They managed to stumble their way out of the bathroom but they didn't even make it close to the bedroom before they were both overcome with pure want and desire. Sliding down the hallway wall, the libidinous pair ripped at their clothes and silently thanked whatever deity they could remember the name of that Mandy hadn't turned up to help with the carpets like she was scheduled to do.

 

-x-

 

"Just pass me the fucking wrench Gallagher, let's wrap this shit up before your family demolish the house and we gotta go live in dumpster or something..."

Mickey was hurriedly fixing the car above him, rushing because he could, because it was a simple job he could do in his sleep, because the guy was an out of towner so it really wasn't all that important to make sure it lasted forever, because Ian was deliberately trying to slow him down so naturally Mickey was determined to finish the job as quickly as possible, and because the rest of his lovers family were gathered at their house on the proviso they were working on the kitchen. With the Gallaghers... Well that could only mean trouble, especially as Kev was there and was not nearly as good at DIY as he'd managed to convince himself he was.

"What do you need it for?" The younger boy asked curiously, peering into the pit underneath the car that Mickey was currently working on.

"I don't," was the ex-cons honest response, "But you keep bashing it against shit and Matty's gonna start charging me damages. If you're bored why don't you go mess up Freddy's tools, assholes so careful putting every one back in its place, it'll drive him fucking nuts." Honestly Mickey's been meaning to do it himself for a while now, but by the time he's finished whatever car he's working on, he forgets all that in favour of just getting the hell home.

Ian whacked the wrench on the side of desk, making sure to make as loud a noise as possible, looking down with a 'what you gonna do about it?' expression planted firmly on his face. Mickey just scoffed and rolled his eyes, then he turned his attention back to the task at hand and tried to faze out whatever his would be distraction was doing up top.

After leaning on the desk he'd just abused for a couple of minutes Ian huffed out a breath then checked cautiously to make sure Mickey wasn't looking before dancing innocently over to the tool desk marked Freddy, I mean seriously... who marks their tool desk in a South Side garage. The red-head heard his boyfriend snort out a laugh and sharply muttered out a stubborn "Shut up!" before he started shuffling up the tools and plotting which disturbances to the order would cause the most annoyance.

Eventually Mickey re-emerged from under the car quietly. He looked around the garage until his eyes landed on an oblivious Ian, who was now well and truly focused on the destruction of his colleagues work bench. Mickey smiled to himself as he walked as quietly over to the other boy as possible, stopping only once when the taller boy suddenly stopped in his task to study his work and laugh smugly. When he was stood directly behind the young Gallagher, Mickey leaned forward so his mouth was right next to Ian's ear and smirked as he shouted "Boo!" as loud as he could muster through his suppressed laughter. Immature maybe, but still fucking funny.

Ian's face seemed to morph in slow motion, turning from self satisfied to scared shitless in the longest half a second he'd ever experienced. He let out the least manly and most undignified scream either of them had ever heard, and then, in an attempt to reign in his terror and regain his dignity he made an even more embarrassing sort of moaning sound when he tried to repress a follow up scream. He slumped his body as he grabbed for his chest, reteaching himself to breathe as he closed his eyes and collected his thoughts, the most prominant being to kill the man he loved. When he had finally composed himself and exhaled/inhaled enough to control his breathing and heart rate again, he slowly straightened up and opened his eyes to look at the man in question.

Mickey was standing further away from him now, hands held behind his back and shoulders raised innocently. Or it would be innocent if his wasn't sporting the biggest smirk Ian have ever seen and his face wasn't red from laughing, his eyes not filled with the remnants of mocking tears. After a moment of just staring, one boy wearing a smirk, the other a scowl, Ian turned his eyes to look at the tool he'd subconsciously picked up in his fit of blind panic, a mallet, perfect... He looked between the tool and Mickey, smirking himself when he saw the older boy follow his line of sight to see the instrument of destruction he now held in his palm. Mickey raised his hands in surrender, again, it would have seemed genuine had it not been for the ex-cons laughing that had yet to subside. Another moment of silent staring, then in an instant Mickey had turned on his heel and bolted in the opposite direction, hot on his tail Ian dropped the hammer and charged after, yelling promises and threats of all the horrible things he was going to do to the black-haired boy when he caught up to him, and by god he would catch him this time.

Foregoing locking up the garage, Matty was gonna be there soon anyway to do inventory, Mickey ran straight through the front doors and didn't have to look back to know Ian was following. The two laughed and panted almost half the way back before finally coming to a stop next to a dumpster down the back alley between two shitty barber shops. Mickey laughed and leaned one arm against the wall, raising the other to placate the now advancing ROTC cadet. Ian gasped for breath and leaned one arm on his knee as he pointed to the Milkovich with the other and promised a slow and painful death, all the while sporting an immense grin.

"I fucking hate you!" Ian huffed petulantly, still smiling brightly.

"Yeah?" Mickey challenged, "I'll remember that when you next beg me to fuck you for a change!"

Ian feigned hurt, clutching his chest and swiveling his body away from the gorgeous man in front of him. The two boys spluttered and laughed for a few more minutes before standing up straight, brushing themselves off and leaving the alley with a few shoves and playful hits, turning left and heading home.

-x-

"You gonna tell me what's been buggin' ya Gallagher, or have I gotta pretend some more that I don't know somethings up?" Mickey turned to face Ian and asked with a raised eyebrow and an exhale of his cigarette.

Ian took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose, not looking back at his lover through fear of giving something away. "Nothings up Mick, just getting a bit frustrated ya know, want the house to be done already..."

This was not a lie, this was as honest an answer as any. What it left out though was that ever since his run in with Joey, Ian hadn't been able to get it out of his head. Oh, he wasn't insecure about whether he deserved him or whether he was enough. No, they were so far past all of that. They were it for each other, whether they deserved it of not. They were selfish in love and happy to be so. What Ian couldn't shake from his mind was the simple fact that Joey had said anything in the first place, why he hadn't just punched Ian in the face like he's assuming he'd told his brothers he was going to. Joey still cared, that much was obvious, but did that mean he was coming round? Was this proof that he was eventually gonna get over himself and come back into Mickey's life? Were the rest of the siblings having the same sort of thoughts? But the most important question of all... Should he tell Mickey?

If it was a one off, if Joey had allowed himself just that one indiscretion, that one moment of weakness in which he could care about his brother and now he was back to being the sort of homophobic, bigoted asshole that would make his father proud... Well telling Mickey that there may be a chance for him and his brothers only for Joey to reject him again, that was not a good idea. That would break Mickey all over again and Ian was not gonna let that happen. He was not gonna give those Milkovich assholes any more power over the man he loved than they already had. But if Joey is coming round, if he does miss Mickey and realise how stupid he's being, if he does want his brother back and just needs a little bit more of a push? Well not telling Mickey and so having his lover miss out on the chance to get back at least some of the family he loves so much, that would somehow be worse. He'd never forgive himself for depriving Mickey of that reconciliation. And if Mickey found out he'd kept this from him, regardless of the outcome, he'd go mad, and rightly so. They'd promised, no more secrets, no more lies. And by God, they'd both stuck to it, wholly and completely, until now and Ian didn't have a clue what to do.

"You keep up the inner monologue there Gallagher," Mickey shrugged besides him, not angry or annoyed, "We both know you'll tell me eventually."

Ian just slumped minutely because he knew how true that was, he couldn't lie to Mickey anymore, he'd break eventually and tell him everything. Well, his self dialogue continued, he'd just have to do something about it himself before that happened. He'd get this meal with his family at Fiona's new job out-of-the-way, then tomorrow he was gonna go in search of Joey Milkovich. With a sudden gusto he turned to beam at Mickey and carried on his route march home to make sure their kitchen was still intact, Mickey just rolled his eyes and continued his steady walk next to the silly red-head.


	24. Another Successful Dinner

"So where is he?" Debbie asked for what felt like the hundredth time that evening so far.

Fiona just slumped her head against her arms in exasperation, "I don't know Debs," she replied tiredly, head still resting on her folded arms. "He's probably busy, there are a lot of people here kiddo, people other than us who need his attention."

Debbie just rolled her eyes and continued munching on a bread stick she'd stolen from Carl, between them they'd managed to finish all of the pre-meal snacks left on the table by the other waitress, who had gelled instantly with Fiona.

Carl scoffed and muttered an aggravated, "What makes them so damn important?" And the rest of the dinner party just went about what they were doing, which consisted almost completely of ignoring the fidgeting kids sandwiching them into the booth.

Said waitress came back over to the table a couple of minutes later, balancing several plates of food, she handed them out accordingly and shot a sympathetic glance to Fi before turning on her heel and marching off to retrieve the rest of the tables dinners. After the third trip she had successfully deposited all of the food onto the table and smiled politely when asking if anyone needed a top up of drink, several hands shot up and the waitress grabbed a tray to collect the empty glasses and replace the beverages.

"Thanks Jackie," Fiona said softly as she brushed behind her to get back to the counter. Her friend and co-worked smile warmly at her and squeezed her shoulder, mouthing silent words of encouragement as she retreated.

Ian and Mickey, who had barreled into the diner only a few moments beforehand, muttering feeble excuses of broken water pipes and suspected gas leaks simultaneously as Fiona rolled her eyes and Lip shook his head, found themselves on an adjacent table, not having enough room for the whole horde in one booth. They were sat opposite Kev and Vee and had successfully avoided most of the younger kids whining. All except Liam of course, who had taken strongly to Mickey, and who had immediately crawled over the back of his chair to perch on the ex-cons lap the second he sat down. After cutting up Liam's food for him, and scorning Kev for being a big girls blouse when he darted outside to ring Vee's mum for the hundredth time to check on the kids, Mickey finally set to work on his own plate.

"So hows the house coming along?" Vee asked conversationally.

Seeing that Mickey had a face full of food and no intention of emptying his mouth or putting down his fork in order to answer, Ian smiled brightly at his one time neighbour.

"Awesome!" He said optimistically.

"Sorry I couldn't help out today, but what with the twins and all..." Vee started to explain.

Ian held up his hands to stop her, "No, don't be silly Vee, you got enough to handle right now. Nah the house is going well, Clayton made good on his promise to not snoop, give us free rein to do whatever. We're paying him back whatever we can afford, which is a hell of a lot more than I thought we were gonna be able to, so maybe we wont be paying it off for the rest of our lives," the red-head laughed, the dark-haired boy beside him scoffed but made no contribution in favour of adding another mouthful of food to the one he was already chewing. Vee smiled back at him and Kev muttered a quick 'congrats' before resuming his silent race with Mickey to see who could finish first. A race Ian was pretty certain Mickey didn't know he was actually competing in.

"And really, apart from the basics like getting new furniture etc, there really isn't much left to do. The damp has been sorted now and because the walls are all but fixed up and the structure is sound and everything Debs and Carl have already started the painting. The plumbing and the electric are all set up and the boilers working, a bit temperamental sometimes but that's just teething problems ya know. Oh the roof is completely fixed up now and the steps and the fence and gate... Ooh the windows too, no more wood rot or anything. Front and back doors open, shut, AND lock!" During Ian's mini rant he got progressively more and more excited until everyone at the table, including Mickey, had forgotten their food in order to stare at the happy young man and smile openly at his outward pride. "All we gotta do now is fix a couple of floor boards on the landing, re-carpet a couple of rooms, put up some curtain rails and mend a few door hinges... And like I said before, get some furniture, ya know, better fridge and oven, some chairs, sofa maybe, beds for the kids when they visit, wardrobes and everything, then we're set... Oh and some lamps... Maybe need some new light fixtures about the place but the electrician said that wouldn't be a problem... Oh and we desperately need to redo the bathroom, the tub is sound and the shower and toilets work and everything but the tiles are disgusting and the vents a bit shoddy... And we need a new air-con unit but who doesn't, right?" Ian laughed, still beaming from ear to ear.

"That it?" Vee laughed back, not mocking, just surprised and happy to see her young friend so elated.

"Yeah but Mickey knows enough people so we can pretty guarantee we'll get all that stuff cheap enough that we won't have to wait forever to afford it, and the garage will lend him the tow truck or a van or something to transport all the bigger shit we need like the fridge and the sofa and the be-"

"All right there Chatty Cathy!" Mickey laughed beside him, "They get the point, let us eat in peace."

Ian smiled at his lover, who flashed him a quick food filled grin before returning his attention to his plate. Vee and Kev looked at each other, Vee pulling a face that screamed 'awww isn't that adorable' while Kev looked sorta disturbed but just shrugged and returned his attention to the his still rumbling stomach.

After Liam had finished messing with his food and decided to actually eat it, the five of them sat in relative quiet compared to the rabble on the other table. Fiona, Jimmy/Steve and Lip were sporting long-suffering frowns whilst Carl and Debbie were screaming to tell their stories the loudest. Protesting that the other was always listened to first and just generally making a point to disagree about everything they could possibly make an argument about. 20 minutes of this and even the waitresses and other customers looked exhausted, until thankfully dinners were finished and plates were collected.

Then, suddenly, and out of nowhere...

"Sorry I've been locked away back there, hope that was all to your liking, anyone care for desert?"

Mickey knew that voice.

Carl flung around to stare at the man standing to his right, Lip followed his movements. Debbie smiled brightly at the tattooed man in front of her and Fiona looked up to smile apologetically at her boss, a gesture he waved off with a smile of his own. Liam peered around the side of his bench seat and looked brazenly up at the man, while Ian peered over his shoulder to look past his sisters and up at Fiona's boss. Kev and Vee also sparked to attention and almost all eyes were locked on the unflinching man in front of them, none more fiercely than Jimmy's, who was staring daggers at him from his seat at the and of the table between Carl and Debbie, no doubt trying to look intimidating to a man who looked like he wasn't scared of anything anymore, yet alone rich silver-spoon fed med school dropouts.

Everyone was staring but Mickey.

Mickey knew that voice.

Mickey hadn't heard that voice in a long time.

Charlie was looking around all of the judgmental faces with a welcoming smile. Not intimidated and not perturbed. Slowly but surely everyone's stares relaxed and he was met with more and more polite smiles in return. All except the boyfriend, he assumed, who was still trying to kill him with a look, Charlie smiled his brightest at him. Charlie hadn't noticed the other man, the one who still hadn't turned to face him, the one who was gritting his teeth dangerously.

"What would you recommend?" Debbie asked flirtatiously. Fiona rolled her eyes and patted her sisters shoulder.

'What?' the young girl asked innocently.

"Well," the owner laughed and explained, "the pie is good, only apple today unfortunately. Got some chocolate cake and all types of ice cream, sundaes, banana floats, sorbet?"

Mickey inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, eyes scrunched up as he raised his head to the ceiling.

"You got toffee?" Carl all but shouted with excitement at the prospect?

"I have indee-" Charlie stopped when she saw a new face slowly turning around to face him from the booth behind Fiona's. He knew that face.

The tension exploded over the two tables as Mickey continued to turn and Charlie's smile fell from his lips. He straightened up slowly as Mickey lifted Liam to seat him on Ian's lap, then slowly rose to stand himself. Silence descended immediately, Fiona's eyes darting to Ian as if to ask what the fuck was going on, Ian just shrugged and returned his gaze to his partner.

"Micke-" Charlie started to say but was cut off abruptly when Mickey hurled a fist straight into the older man's face.

Charlie crumpled to the floor as everyone else shot up out of their seats. Kev went to grab a hold of Mickey as Ian moved to stand in front of him, hands up placatingly. Charlie rose to a sitting position clutching his, inevitably bruised face, and rose his head to look at the Milkovich thug.

"Mickey..." He tried again, raising his hands in surrender.

Mickey just snarled and shook out of Kev's hold. He spat on the floor in front of Fiona's boss and turned sharply. Without a second look Mickey stomped out of the cafe, not uttering another word to anyone.

"What the hell?" Was all anyone could think, but it was Fiona who voiced it as she knelt down next to her boss to check he was OK. Jackie had brought over a cold cloth to dab away the blood as Fiona looked up to her red-headed brother incredulously.

Ian just closed his eyes and shook his head, following in Mickey's footsteps and retreating without a word.

 

-x-

 

"What the fuck was that about?" Ian shouted as he stormed into their house to find Mickey sat on the battered sofa, puffing manically on a joint.

"Don't fucking start OK!" Was his only response.

"Are you being serious right now?" The young Gallagher yelled as he stood in front of the stubborn thug.

"Ian..." Mickey warned gravely.

"No," Ian cut him off, "Don't even fucking think of pulling that shit!"

"Ian," Mickey shot back louder, jolting his head up to face the younger boy.

"NO!" Ian shouted back louder still. "I gotta know what the fuck just happened... I Just... I gotta know you're alright Mick so don't you even fucking think of blocking me out!"

"What?" Mickey asked back uncertainly.

"What?" Ian mirrored.

Mickey just shook his head forcefully and gritted out an "I'm fucking fine."

Ian all but growled but before he could yell some more Mickey rolled his eyes and patted the empty space on the sofa next to him.

"He's Danny's son." Mickey announced suddenly after a moment's silence that had Ian debating whether he was gonna talk at all.

Ian scrunched his eyes in thought, trying to remember why that name was familiar.

Mickey looked over to his lover and rolled his eyes before prompting him, "Garage, guy that taught me all I know?"

Realization hit Ian like a freight train. "The guy who got sent down because of his shit head son, then killed in jail."

"Yeah," Mickey scoffed, "Meet the shithead son." The ex-con laughed humourlessly.

"Fuuuuck," Ian drawled, "How does this shit keep happening to us?" He asked rhetorically.

Mickey just scoffed and leaned forward to fiddle with the ash tray.

After a couple of minutes of intense silence in which Ian just let Mickey deal and calm down, the dark-haired boy finally exhaled and spoke again, still leaning forward and eyes never leaving the ash tray in front of him.

"He never liked me much," he started somberly, "Him and Danny didn't see eye to eye. Danny was a good man but Charlie fucking hated him half the time, blamed him for his bitch mother getting fucked up on meth and trying ta kill him."

Shock overtook Ian's face as he listened to Mickey speak.

"Danny," he blurted out, "Bitch tried to kill Danny," he clarified, which wasn't all that much better but still. "She got sent down and Charlie blamed Danny for it, but he still needed a bail out every other fucking week so he kept his old man close enough to never have to worry about getting in too deep with dealers or some shit, guy was coked off his ass most of the time, stoned or drunk the rest. But when Danny took me under his wing, well Charlie got pissed, thought he was being pushed out." Mickey laughed pathetically before continuing. "And when I took the rap for Tony's ABH charge and dad didn't give enough of a shit to even notice, well it was Danny who put money in my coms account, came to see me and all that shit, even bribed the fucking judge to lessen my sentence. When Charlie found out about that he hit the fucking roof, saying shit about how Danny had himself a new son, choosing me over him and all that crap. After that the son of a bitch was always doing shit to test Danny's fucking loyalties. Getting in trouble with the wrong kinda people, owing money, stealing drugs and then sending them all to Danny's door to see if he'd take the fucking beatings, pay the fees, son of a bitch always did. Without question. But it wasn't enough. One day Charlie came by the garage when I was there just hanging out, talking bout fucking school or some shit Danny was trying to get me interested in... All of a sudden that asshole barges in and announces he needs money, I told him to fuck off and Danny took my side when Charlie tried to push me away. Next day I find out Charlie got so fucking pissed at his dad that the stupid fucker stole his car and work overalls, went down to the local store and robbed the place at gunpoint, probably made sure he was seen by every fucking camera. The police knew it was him, everyone knew it was him not Danny but the old man took the rap cause he blamed himself for his son being such a fucking screw up. Died like two months later."

Mickey's voice threatened to hitch at the memory of his childhood role model and their last words to each other, Mickey being pissed that he was doing that for his son and Danny smiling and saying he'd do the same for Mickey. Ian watched as Mickey collected himself and carried on.

"Only saw Charlie once after that, before today," Mickey added scornfully, savoring the feel of that assholes jaw crunching under his fist. "I snuck into Danny's funeral and Charlie was a fucking wreck, drugged up on god knows what, making a fucking show of himself." Mickey shook his head and willed whatever tears hadn't already been shed for the old man not to fall now.

Another few moments of silence past where Ian just let Mickey calm down and process everything, as was his way.

"His lawyer came up to me, at the funeral," Mickey explained solemnly. "Fucker was dressed in a suit that cost more than the fucking coffin, and he took me aside all apologetic and nervous and shit and told me Danny had left me something in his will. Apparently he left me some money and all his god damn tools." Mickey stuttered to finish.

"Apparently?" Ian asked warily.

"Never saw any of it," the ex-con exclaimed as he threw himself to his feet and coughed to get the quiver out of his voice. "Charlie protested the will, said he was the only son, the sole heir and I didn't fight it, didn't even turn up to the reading."

"Mick, I'm so so-"

"What you sorry for Gallagher, you weren't there!"

"I dunno Mick, just sorry it happened to you!" Ian shouted back defensively, frustrated that he didn't know how to help.

To his surprise Mickey just snorted out a laugh. "I know," he all but whispered, sitting down next to the fidgeting red-head and finally looking at him. "Sorry I fucked up your sisters big meal and you're gonna catch all the shit from it." He offered genuinely.

He just scoffed and scrubbed his hands down his face. "Fuck it," the younger boy laughed, "You're worth it," he added cockily just to aggravate the emotionally crippled boy he loved so much.

Mickey just turned and looked at the son of a bitch next to him, and upon seeing the smug smile on the soldier boys lips he let out a deep and genuine belly laugh before turning back to the ash tray and picking out the, at some point, discarded joint to relight it. He took a couple of deep puffs before passing it over to his lover, then inhaled deeply and tilted his head to look at the ceiling.

"I'm OK," he affirmed, looking over to his lover and promising him silently that he didn't have to worry.

Ian just nodded and leaned back to mirror Mickey's position on the couch, resting his head against the back and looking up to the ceiling.

"Never saw him again, but have been hearing shit over the years bout how he never really got over it, felt guilty or some shit, turned his life around. Didn't believe it but I guess it's true after all."

Ian looked over to his boyfriend and smiled warmly, sympathetically. "No one says you gotta forgive him Mick, that's up to you."

Mickey just scoffed back before stealing the joint from Ian's pursed lips and smirking at the affronted look on his face.

Ian wanted to say a lot more. Promise it would be OK, thank him for trusting him, for sharing, but then he remembered that he didn't need to because Mickey could read him like an open book. Just like he could look at Mickey now and know that the other boy was OK, he had calmed down, he'd got the anger out of his system and he actually felt better about it having finally been able to just let loose and punch the shit head. He could look at Mickey and Mickey could look at him and both could know that none of it mattered now because they were home and they were fine and they were happy. And they were alone. Mickey smirked at the younger boy and raised his eyebrows suggestively. Ian smiled back. Then Mickey bit his lip and rubbed the corner of the plump flesh with his thumb and Ian just pounced.

 

-x-

 

It took two hours for the inevitable pounding on the door to signify the angry Gallagher mobs arrival.

Two blissful hours of fucking and laughing and winding each other up, coming to an abrupt end the second the first knock was audible up the stairs. Ian huffed and stood from his position on the floor of their bedroom. He flung a shirt on and turned to smile at Mickey, gesturing for the older boy to stay here while he dealt with his family. Mickey nodded and returned to his original position on the floor next to where Ian had been sitting, leaning back against the wall with his legs splayed in front of him. He brought one leg back up to rest his arm on his knee then watched as his lover left the room, dramatically clutching his chest and wiping fake tears of fear from his eyes. Mickey just snorted out a laugh and rolled his eyes as Ian pounded down the stairs, yelling for their visitors to "Calm the fuck down already, I'm coming!"

"Where's Mickey?" Fiona screeched, pushing past Ian the second he'd unlatched the door. Lip followed close behind her, Kev following shortly after him.

"Where are the kids?" Ian asked back, trying desperately to change the subject.

"Vee took them home," Lip responded impatiently.

"Where is he Ian?" Fiona asked again.

"Look Fi," Ian held his hands up in surrender, "He's not-"

"Don't give me that shit Ian, I know he's here, just wanna make sure he's OK. Then he's all yours again, alright...?"

Ian's mouth fell open in shock, he stuttered on the argument he was about to retort with, then looked to between the three worried people in front of him.

"I...What?" He finally managed to stammer out.

Fiona just exhaled and smiled at her brother reassuringly. "He's family right?" She said proudly, "We're Gallaghers, we worry about family!"

"But... Your boss?" Ian asked feebly.

"Look, I dunno what happened back there but it must have been big for Mickey to react like that, he wouldn't explode like that for nothing, so we just wanna know he's OK. My boss isn't important right now, he isn't gonna fire me, he isn't gonna press charges and he isn't on life support, so he's all sorted... But I got three worried kids at home waiting for news and one worried Vee trying to distract them. Add that to the three of us and you got a lot of worrying so how about throwing us a bone here?" His big sister all but pleaded.

A quick scan of the other two men showed Ian that they too looked nothing but concerned. Ian couldn't help the relieved chuckle that escaped him as he looked between them all. Before he could reassure them all that he was indeed OK though, Ian heard a throat clearing from the top of the stairs.

"So let me get this straight," all eyes snapped to where Mickey now stood on the top step. "I freak out and punch your boss... Unprovoked and in front of your young and impressionable little brothers and sister... Coulda got you sacked, definitely embarrassed you where you work... Coulda started something that might've gotten all of you hurt..." Mickey emoted all that he was saying with an intense stare circling the three agreeing Southsiders in front of him. "And you come here, damn near pound our door down, to find out if I'm OK?"

Fiona smiled and nodded while Lip quipped "Yup, pretty much," and Kev just nodded his own agreement enthusiastically.

Ian turned to face his lover, who was now descending the stairs slowly, with a big grin splitting his freckled face.

Mickey snorted and looked around the four idiots his living room. "You're all fucking weird," he scoffed, almost affectionately.

The four idiots carried on smiling until the Milkovich boy reached the bottom of the stairs, at which point Fiona just shrugged and said calmly, "Seriously though Mickey, you OK?"

Mickey tried not to be taken aback by her genuine concern, but it took him a few moments to answer honestly. "All good," he assured, "Out of my system."

"Not gonna ask why, just need to know if I gotta kill him on your behalf," Fiona added cheerfully.

Mickey laughed back at her and shook his head, "Nah man, it's all good. Just summit I needed to do, now it's done."

"You sure?" Lip finally involved himself, "Cause sure the guys got a height and weight advantage but I think with a bit of misdirection from Kev or summit, I could probably get a few good hits in."

Another laugh from Mickey and a snort from the bar owner in question, Lip just smirked at Ian's still disbelieving, but undoubtedly happy, expression.

"We got your back now Mick," Kev added firmly, "Thought we made that clear the other day at the bar...?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Yeah, whatever..." Mickey retorted, "Who wants some of this?" He held up the joint he'd rolled to calm his nerves when Ian had gone down to open the door and everyone in the room shouted in agreement.

"You mind some extra company?" Fiona asked the ex-con exclusively, reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder. "The kids wanted to come with us but we figured you might not be up to dealing with all of us at once..."

"Vee drew the short straw and had to take 'em home," Kev laughed outright, before a sudden thought hit him and his smile dropped completely. "Shit man, I'm gonna catch hell for that later..."

Lip shouted out another joyous, "Yup!"

The group tittered for a few moments whilst Ian and Mickey collected themselves. The red-head walked up to his partner and rested a hand on his lower back, smiling warmly at him when the ex-con looked up to meet his eyes. the dark-haired boy stared back into Ian's glowing orbs for what felt like minutes, before nodding subtly and turning to Fiona and smiling at her.

"It's fine," Mickey said freely, "Get 'em round here!"

-x-

A few hours later, after everyone had gone home and the house was once again empty apart from Ian and Mickey, the two boys were lying on their mattress, sharing a joint and a beer, as well as easy conversation.

"So, I guess you're officially part of the family now," the younger boy smiled.

Mickey snorted beside him, but nodded his head minutely.

They were lying next to each other, shoulders brushing gently, legs bent slightly at the knee and turned in towards the others. They were both looking up at the ceiling with lazy smiles on their faces, completely at ease. Both of Mickey's hands were resting on his chest, Ian's right hand falling into the same position on his own. His left hand however was between their bodies, fingers fiddling aimlessly with the bottom of Mickey's shirt and the top of his jeans.

Mickey turned his head to look at his lover side on, he smiled to himself and mentally kicked himself for turning into quite such a fag before he spoke the thoughts that littered his mind.

"Feels kinda good," he muttered quietly.

"Hmmm?" Ian replied softly, almost sounding asleep.

"To have people on our side." The ex-con explained.

Ian's smile shone brightly as he turned his head to face Mickey.

"Even stubborn ass Gallaghers can see how real and fucking brilliant this thing is." Ian smiled, waving the hand that was resting on his chest between himself and his lover.

"But not stubborn ass Milkovichs," the older boy scoffed.

Ian's smile dropped instantly off his face. "Hey, no..." Mickey rushed to console him. "I didn't mean it like that Ian, I'm good, I'm really fucking good," he laughed honestly, grabbing Ian's face and holding his cheeks in his palm. He smiled a genuine smile before pulling his boyfriend closer and kissing him fervidly.

"You're it, Ian," he muttered between kisses, "We're it!"

"I fucking love you," Ian urged back, grabbing a hold of his lover with both hands and kissing him for all he was worth. "You're everything I am."

When the kiss broke Mickey leaned forward to press his forehead against Ian's and the two men stayed like that until sleep threatened to overcome them. Holding tightly to the other and neither wanting the contact to end, both men breathed as much of the other in as possible.

Mickey was the first to fall asleep and Ian opened his eyes to look at the sleeping figure in front of him. He took in a shaky breath and exhaled with added conviction, remembering the silent promise he'd made to Mickey earlier. He'd fix everything for the older man, he'd find Joey tomorrow, and the rest of his brothers if he could, and he'd fix it all for the man he loved. So Mickey Milkovich could finally have all that he deserved, the family he loved so deeply. Ian would find a way to give him that if it was the last thing he did.


	25. Old Abandoned Building

"Yo Joey!" He shouted. Waving a frantic hand in the air as he rapidly approached the older boy.

"What?" The other boy shouted back, turning on his heel to look round at who was shouting him.

"Fucking... Hold up will you?" The younger boy spat, spluttering for breath as Joey's footsteps had yet to falter.

"Fuck do you want?" The quickly angering Milkovich yelled back, finally coming to a stop.

"Jesus man, what's the fucking rush? What, you think if you don't get there in time your whore girlfriends gonna find someone else to fuck?"

"Fuck you!" He retorted with an over-dramatic eye roll. "Bitch is probably already doin' that, I ditched her ass yesterday."

The other boy snorted out a laughed and raised his eyebrows.

"Fuck you want Ig?" The older boy asked warily?

"What makes you think I want summit? Maybe I'm just bored... Can't I just wanna hang with my big brother?" Iggy smiled innocently at his impatient looking sibling and shrugged his shoulders.

"No," Joey responded immediately, but his features relaxed and Iggy took that as an invitation to follow when the older boy started to walk again.

"So where we going?"

"None of your fucking business," he responded, even though that didn't really make any sense. 'Shit', he thought to himself, he didn't plan on having his brother accompanying him today, and he desperately tried to think about how exactly he was gonna be able to do what it was he was planning to do now.

Iggy just scoffed and continued to follow blindly.

"So why d'you ditch the bitch?" The younger boy asked cheerily after a few moments of silence.

"Was getting too clingy, wanted me to meet her fucking family or some shit... Her aunts getting married, her sister's knocked up and its giving her weird fucking ideas..." Joey snorted at the memory of the last conversation he'd had with the girl, "She'd fucking planned out the next sixty years of our lives for fucks sake!"

Say no more, Iggy thought with head nod, say no more.

After a while of seemingly aimless wandering, Joey crossed the road over to an abandoned building. Iggy hadn't noticed where they were heading until the rusting remains of the metal railings and the dank smell of the rotting buildings all came into focus through the cloudy thoughts that had been taking up all of his concentration.

"Fuck we doin' here?" He spat aggressively.

"You didn't have to fucking come?" Joey retorted defensively, carrying on walking even as his brother stopped to look around the familiar spot he hadn't been to in years. "No one fucking asked you to tag along!"

Iggy had a million responses on the tip of his tongue. Various insults and witticisms all just begging to be released. But he couldn't say a word. He was stuck, lost in a trance of memories that the familiar ruins invoked. All the thoughts that had been clogging up his mind for the last couple of weeks flooded back to him as he eyes searched the broken down walls for some sort of comfort, some sort of answer as to what the fuck he was even still doing there. Then he heard the sound of a bottle smashing and a harsh scream of "Fuck!" and before he could even process the movement, his legs were taking him in the direction of his brother.

"What we doin' here Joe?" He asked solemnly, leaning against the doorway of the room he knew so well. The room in which his brother was slouched against a pillar, looking at the floor with his head in his hands.

"This is all so FUCKED!" The older boy yelled, hurling himself back up and thrashing another stone at the empty bottles that lined the wall opposite them.

Iggy couldn't say anything to that, he knew everything was fucked and he had no idea how to make it better. He'd been consumed by it for weeks and it was driving him mad. He'd been trying to keep as busy as possible all day and every day, distract himself from his mind and not let himself be left with his own thoughts for a single second in case they started to develop and grow and consume him like they had already been doing so damn fervently. That's why he'd chased down Joey today, he needed something to do, somewhere to go, someone to go with, anything to keep him occupied. He'd usually chill out with Jamie or Tony but they were both starting to piss him off, content as they were to just sit in silence and get high or drunk and sleep their lives away. Joey left the house, the Milkovich house they'd all moved back into after Terry showed no signs of coming back, every day and Iggy wondered what it was he was doing with himself, how it was he was staying so focused and calm. How he was so together when Iggy couldn't scratch the itch that was constantly clawing away underneath his skin.

Now here they were, standing in a spot Iggy hadn't been back to in years. A spot he'd once loved because it was the one place on this Earth that was separate from everything else. All the fucked up shit in this neighbourhood was forgotten in this spot. Terry never came here, the gangs they fought with never bothered with this place. This is the place they went to get high, laugh, shoot, fight for fun instead of for war. This was the place the brothers Milkovich bloomed and thrived. This was Mickey's place.

When they were much younger, Mickey must have only been about 12, he'd just had a beat down from Terry for some reason or another and he'd pegged it out of the house as soon as their father had passed out. Iggy remembers being scared that he'd finally snapped and been pushed too far, he was so worried that Mickey wouldn't be coming back again, he'd darted and left and was gone forever. But he did come back. He came back with a big dumb grin on his face and bolt cutters in his hands. He'd told the Milkovich brothers that he'd built something and they were to follow him. None of them questioned it, they just got up and trailed after Mickey. They followed him through the streets of the South Side without a question or doubt and then they'd stopped in front of this old building that was still fenced off at the time. No one bothered with it because the fences were high and the building wasn't interesting enough to break into. It had been stripped clean so there was nothing to steal, and this was the South side of Chicago so there were plenty of other, better, places to get high or fucked up or whatever it was you were into.

The fence already had a hole cut into it which Mickey wordlessly led them through, they followed him through the labyrinth of old crumbling walls and doors, through the maze of wrecked corridors and unsafe archways, until they finally reached this room. This one huge, pillared room, that almost a decade later they now stood in. Mickey had adorned the walls with various targets. He'd filled the empty window frames with bottles and old dolls. He'd built make shift weapon racks and stacked piles of gun magazines and rifle kits along the side of the room. He'd hung punching bags from the decaying rafters and lain fight mats on the floor. He'd stolen a boombox for the corner of the room and filled a cool box with beer in the middle. The place, he would proudly admit then and now, was like fucking heaven for a bunch of incredibly troubled youths who had nothing better to do. They spent hours upon hours here, after school, before runs. Long hot summers sweltering in the heat as they worked out and learned to fight. Blistering winters in which they taught themselves to shoot and survive. This place was their safe haven. This place was Mickey's.

And now, all these years later, here they were. Joey and Iggy, stood in silence. All of the weapons and bags etc had been removed over the years. The fences had come down after the council gave up on the idea of ever spending enough money to do the place up. With the fences going down, people started to come in. So the Milkovich boys had removed everything that outwardly made this place theirs. All that remained were the bottles they kept stacked across the sills and all over the floor. The innocent targets they kept littered around the place for those times they need an escape, a place to vent.

Broken glass had taken the place of the intact bottles now, but there were still enough left hole for this place to work its magic again. Wordlessly Iggy bent down and picked up a stone. He studied the projectile in his hands as Joey leaned down and retrieved his own small missile, the two looked at each other sharply before both hurled their respective weapons at two of the large targets across the expanse of the room. Both missed, both boys smiled, both bent down and started the process anew.

They were content to spend the rest the day in their old hangout. In the old abandoned building that had been their hideout from the world. Missing targets and laughing, hitting targets and cheering. They forgot everything and just relaxed into the familiar activity, both trying their hardest to forget that one of the most important elements of the whole tradition was missing. Family, brothers, Mickey.

 

-x-

 

"Where are they Mands?"

Ian had barged into the Milkovich house, determined to get through to Joey, or to at least find out where he stood. He'd walked into an empty house, well empty of the Milkovich brothers at least. Mandy was there, she was cooking over the stove when Ian had stormed in. She'd turned to him and smiled a surprised smile and asked if he wanted something to eat. He'd politely declined and he'd told her why he was here.

For her part, Mandy had been quiet and listened to him explain. He'd told her everything, he'd told her about Joey and what he'd said, he'd told her what he was scared of, why he couldn't tell Mickey and, finally, he'd told her what he wanted to do.

And now he was asking her the question he was pretty sure she wouldn't tell him the answer too even if she knew it.

"It wont work Ian," she replied solemnly. "They're Milkovichs, they're never gonna accept him being gay, they're never gonna not hate him for it."

"You're a Milkovich!" He countered firmly.

"I'm a girl!"

"Mickey's a Milkovich," he yelled back resolutely.

"He's fucking different!" Mandy shouted now too. Both quickly getting angry at the other's unwillingness to concede a point they obviously felt differently about.

"He didn't use to be," the determined red-head argued back.

"It's not gonna work!" Mandy threw herself up from where she had been sat at the kitchen table opposite from her best friend. She spun back to the stove to pick up the, now empty pan, and shove it in the sink a little more forcefully than necessary. "They are not gonna change Ian, I thought they could..." Mandy's breath hitched as tears stung her eyes, the subject was a painful reminder of her lost family. "I really fucking thought they would, OK, but they wont! What you're doing," she said gesturing between Ian and the Milkovich house surrounding him, "Is just gonna get you hurt, or one of them hurt, and it's Mickey whose gonna lose out again so just fucking let it go!" Ian wasn't stupid enough to not recognise the tone in Mandy's voice, that was an order not a request, and with it she turned on her heel and stormed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her and making it clear Ian was not welcome to follow.

Ian sighed and ran his hands down his face. He contemplated just sitting there in that house, at that table, and just waiting. Waiting until one or all of the brothers came back and he could just let loose everything that was on his mind. But it was Joey he needed to speak to first and he couldn't guarantee who'd walk through that door, plus he honestly thought that Mandy might re-emerge from her room with a loaded gun, just to stop him going through with his plan. With one last look to his best friends closed door, Ian rose from his seat and made his way outside, undeterred and already plotting a plan B. He marched off in the direction of the nearest bar.

-x-

They hadn't shown their faces in The Alibi since Mandy's pseudo birthday. They had been to the Irish bar a few blocks down several times, but were not there now, and the Bistro on the other side of town had kicked them out and barred them for life. They hadn't showed up at The Scout for a couple of days now and Kroll's was closed for refurbishment. Ian had a list as long as his arm of other places to check but he had to admit to himself that he still had no clue what to do if he even did find them.

He decided he needed inspiration, he needed to remember why he was doing this so he could get his emotions back to how they'd been the night before, when he was so full of strength and determination that there was no room left for doubt or questions of how. Mickey was at the garage because Matty had called in an emergence client that Mickey could handle with his eyes closed, but Matty didn't trust any of the other mechanics to deal with. After promising the ex-con double his wages for the next two weeks Mickey had gone to work determined to finish as quickly as possible, so Ian didn't want to disturb him. He could go back to the house and see all of the things that are his and his lovers together, all the things that made Mickey who he was, but Debbie and Carl were their painting and Ian didn't want to deal with that mess. Besides, he already knew what he was fighting for, he already knew who Mickey was and why this was so important. No, what he needed was just a quick reminder of the strength Mickey gave him, he just needed the smallest essence of the other man. The smallest essence, which sometimes can mean the most, the memories that defined them for so long, the one place that had always been theirs, their fall back, their haven. Ian knew exactly where to go, he was going to the old abandoned building that Mickey had let them share.

 

-x-

 

Mickey finished the car within two hours, it was a simple job but the client was rich so Matty wanted to make an impression, he also wanted to hammer up the details and charge through the roof. Telling the clients that he had to call in his best mechanic meant he could convincingly charge whatever the hell he wanted. Plus Mickey was the one he trusted to be able to convincingly lie about all the work that had had to be done.

So after finishing up the car and agreeing to come in the next day to hand over the keys and go through the details with the owners, Mickey left the garage with only one place in mind.

He stood outside the diner for a few minutes, just smoking and looking at the door, willing himself to just go in. He puffed out his last toke on the cigarette, stomped it under his boot, then made his way across the street and into the small establishment.

Jackie's eyes immediately locked with his and she looked somewhat scared as she ducked out the back to the kitchens. Fiona wasn't working, he knew this, he made sure of it.

Knowing what the waitress had gone to do, who she'd gone to get, Mickey just sat down at a booth and didn't bother to order anything. He only had to wait a couple of moments before Charlie hurled himself out of the kitchens and looked around the small cafe. His eyes landed on where Mickey was sat staring out of the window and he made his way over to the younger man, drying his hands as he went in an attempt to distract himself from the nerves bubbling up in his stomach.

"Mickey," he said quietly, testing the water as he slid onto the bench opposite Mickey.

"Sayin' that a lot lately," was the Milkovich's sarcastic response.

"Mick-"

"Alright, fucking enough!" Mickey yelled, "I get it, you remember my god damn name!"

There was a few moments silence while Mickey composed himself.

"What can I do?" Charlie asked cautiously, softly, already preparing himself for whatever reaction Mickey might have.

"Go fuck yourself!" Was the younger mans instant response, but he didn't get up and leave, he didn't move a muscle.

"I'm so sorry Mickey," the older man breathed out, honestly.

Mickey just scoffed and finally looked up and into the eyes of the man in front of him. "Oh yeah?" He snarked back. "So you tell me... What can you do?"

The two men stared into each others eyes, Charlie's were alight with sadness and regret, desperation almost. Whilst Mickey's bright blue orbs shone with anger and frustration, a conflict to both hold a grudge and let one go.

"I have your tools," the reformed man blurted out, before hurrying to explain before Mickey could react. "His tools, Danny's tools... Dad... Dad's tools," he said with a deep sigh. "I don't have the right to call him that I know," he looked to Mickey as if looking for confirmation but the younger man just continued to glare at him, unflinching and completely walled off.

"I, umm, I pawned them," he continued after it became clear that Mickey had nothing to add. "I was a dead beat, a fucking punk, I know what I was, but I couldn't see it at the time. It was always someone else fault ya know... And then Dad..." Charlie looked down at the table as he voice lessened to a whisper, he fought back the tears of regret and continued his explanation before Mickey could run away. "It just got worse after he died... I didn't realise he was all I had left until he was gone." The older man scoffed at his own stupidity and ignorance. He looked back up at Mickey, who was still glaring at him with all outward expression withdrawn completely from his face.

"I pawned his tools for drug money, got fucked up and tried to off myself!" He quit the bullshit and went straight to the point, knowing Mickey wasn't interested in his pitiful tales of woe. Mickey didn't flinch, he didn't so much as blink. "When I came too in the hospital I was a fucking mess man, I cried for days, they had to sedate me in the end..." Mickey inhaled at that, obviously having no sympathy, just wondering why he should care. "Anyway," Charlie quickly recovered himself and continued to the point, "I got the help I needed after that, I sold all my shit to buy back those tools, they were all he had left in the world before he died. I got 'em at the house, I was gonna give 'em to Fi to pass on to you but I also kinda wanted to give them to you myself so I just kept putting off bringing them in. Woulda brought them in today, if I knew you'd be stopping by," he said with a forced laugh designed to break the tension.

Mickey still said nothing, just looked into the eyes of the man he'd spent so long hating, hating more than anyone, hating more even than Terry. He did not want to forgive, he did not want to forget, he did not want to understand. And yet he still sat there, unable to leave.

"Mickey, I fucked up everything, I know that, I take full responsibility. But I did fucking love him, I didn't want to at the time, but not a day goes by that I don't think about him... That I don't fucking miss him. I know none of this matters to you, I know you lost him because of me and you have every fucking right to hate me, but I just need you to know that he was a great man, I get that now... He was the best fucking man I've ever known and I love him, and I miss him, and that everything he did for me will never be forgotten or repayed, but I will do my best to make sure none of it was in vain. I'm gonna do every thing I gotta do to make him proud, to try and be half the man he hoped I'd be, an essence of the man he was... And I never know how I'm gonna do that, I get lost all the fucking time trying to live up to that but I won't stop, OK, I just take each day and each decision as it comes and I'll do whatever it takes." Charlies eyes were watering as Mickey's continued to glare, unfaltering for even a second.

"The only thing I've wanted to do since getting my shit together was sort this out with you Mickey. But you are the biggest fucking hurdle and I'll be honest, you scare the shit out of me man. But being a coward isn't gonna be living up to my promise so here I am, throwing myself at your mercy, not asking for forgiveness or anything... Just saying, whatever I have to do, I will do it. Starting with the tools, like I said they were the only things he had in the world and I want 'em," he proclaimed honestly. "It's selfish and unfair and all the things I'm trying not to be but I fucking want them man, because they were his and he loved them and I want something of his that he loved that I didn't fucking ruin. But he wanted you to have 'em, so they are yours and I will go home and get them for you right now if you ask me to..."

Charlie moved as if to stand when Mickey finally moved. He snorted and rolled his eyes, looking to the table quickly before glancing back up to lock eyes with Charlie.

"Man, you're good," he mocked, "Gonna do a dance next too?"

Charlie just perched his lips and nodded, eyes darting around the room and tears strained to leak from his eyes. "You don't have to believe me," he all but whispered, "God knows I haven't earned your trust-"

"People always fucking do that!" Mickey interrupted loudly, thrusting his arms in the air at the shocked man in front of him. "What, just cause you now know how fucked up you were, suddenly you're the good guy? Suddenly its O-fucking-K?"

"No, Mickey, I'm not... I don't..." Charlie inhaled deeply to compose himself before looking back to the ex-con that was glaring back in full force again. "This isn't even about me anymore, you don't have to forgive me, don't have to say another god damn word to me as long as I live, but you deserve to hear that Danny meant something, and you deserve those tools and everything else he wanted you to have. And I will work everyday for the rest of my life to pay you back the money he left you..." The older man pleaded desperately, hands in the air and eyes blown wide.

"I don't want your fucking money, didn't want his..." The Milkovich boy yelled. "Didn't want his money, his tools OR his fucking help... I didn't want anything from the guy." Mickey was struggling to contain his anger, his sadness, his guilt. A wave of grief washed over him at the old wound of loss reopened, but he needed to say his piece because he never got a chance to before and he needs Charlie to hear him, to know the whole truth. "But he gave it all because that's who he was... And he was fucking everything I had! Sure I had my brothers, I had Mandy and the rest of my fucked up family but he was the one who really fucking knew me and he still stuck around. The way I saw it, my family found one thing out about me they didn't like and I was as good as dead to 'em but Danny? He knew it, he knew what I was and he didn't give a shit, he was more family to me than my fucked up father and all my deadbeat uncles put together... I fucked needed him!" Mickey yelled whole-heartedly. "I fucking needed him and you ripped him away because why...? Because you weren't getting enough attention...? And now what...? You've realised you were an asshole so all is OK now? Fuck you!" Mickey was shouting loud enough for everyone to hear but he didn't care, he was being honest and it felt good.

"You think I'm gonna help you out? Help you be the man Danny wanted you to be? Why, to honour his fucking memory? He shouldn't be just a fucking memory! That's on you! You think he had high hopes for you? Think he wasn't proud already? He didn't want you to be anything other than the scum bag you already were, only thing he wanted different was for you to own it. For once in your fucking miserable life he just wanted you to own yourself and you still can't fucking do it can you. Nothings enough, you can't just be reformed... You gotta be better, on some mission from a fucking ghost to better yourself? Well fuck you for thinking Danny would want anything from you. He didn't want anyone to be better because he saw the best in everyone any-fucking-way. You didn't know shit about him then and you know fucking less about him now. I ain't gonna help you on your little adventure of self discovery, I could give a fuck about you god damn redeeming yourself. You can do whatever the fuck you want with the tools, they ain't whats important, never were!"

With that Mickey shot up from his seat and stormed out of the diner, ignoring all of the faces staring at him. Only later would he curse the thought of Fiona having to deal with the gossip of todays showdown when she went back to work. Only later would he go back over all of the things he forgot to say and kick himself for it. Until then he was full of adrenaline and anxiety and he needed a drink and a smoke and Ian.

Ian, was undoubtedly avoiding their house through fear of coming between Carl and Debbie's arguments. The red-head didn't go to the bar during the day cause he knew he'd be roped in to help and he had enough to do what with rebuilding his god damn house thank you very much. Ian could be one of a million places but Mickey knew where he was gonna look first, he knew where he wanted him to be, where he wanted to go himself to unwind. Mickey was heading for the old abandoned building that he'd probably spent far too long associating with fucking safety.


	26. A Not So Happy Meeting of Minds

"IAN!"

The red-head stopped in his tracks at the sound of his name. He had just crossed the road leading to the entrance of the old abandoned buildings, he turned cautiously to look around, trying to find the source of the interruption.

"Hey, wait up Ian!" Came another shout, still he couldn't place where the voice was coming from, but whoever it was was out of breath, they were obviously running towards him.

"God, how longs it been," said the voice, much closer now, much softer, right fucking behind him, he spun around when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"The hell are you doing here?" He asked, probably more ferociously than was necessary.

The older man didn't seem to take offence though, "Not really the greeting I was hoping for," he laughed back.

"OK," the Gallagher boy drawled back, "Hey, how's it going? What the fuck are you doing here?"

Again the other man just laughed, taking the comments in his stride like they were playing some sort of cat and mouse game that Ian was more than unwilling to participate in.

"OK, so good talk, I'm going..." The younger boy stated resolutely, before pushing past his unwelcome companion and making towards the sanctuary of his and Mickey's one time hideout.

"No wait!" The familiar figure turned sharply to grab at Ian's shoulder, his eyes pleading as he tried again. "Just, can't we have a conversation or something... No strings... Just wanna know how you are...?"

Now it was Ian's turn to laugh. "Yeah sure, like you give a shit about anything or anyone else but yourself," he bit back sarcastically. He tried to inject a bit of malice or something into his voice, anything to ward the other man off, but the truth was he couldn't because he wasn't bitter anymore. Hell, he never really had been, he really just didn't care.

Unfortunately, the idiot in front of him took his casual tone as an invitation to start said 'no strings' conversation.

"You still in ROTC? Working at the shop? How's school Ian?" He inquired pleasantly, almost bouncing with excitement at the prospect of being let back in.

"Yes. Yes. And fine." He replied dryly, with a straight face and monotone. "Now if you'll excuse me, I got places to be..." Again Ian shrugged his arm away and turned to continue his journey, but once again he was halted from any real progress by a stubborn hand on his shoulder, a stubborn hand attached to a stubborn man from his past.

"Listen," the now stranger all but whined, "I'm sorry, OK, sorry for being a fucking idiot, sorry for taking off, sorry for leaving you behind..."

Ian laughed again, "You think I'm angry about that? Think I wanted to come with?" He snorted at the other mans affronted expression. "I'm doing well, OK," he explained tiredly, "Not angry at you, don't care enough to be, so I'm good, you're good... we're good!" He added, waving an invisible line between the two of them to demonstrate the point, in the hopes he'd be let go sooner if the other man believed there was no bad blood between them.

"Good," his ex-lover whispered cautiously, obviously startled at how this conversation was going. "So how about that conversation?" He asked softly, shrugging his shoulders and forcing out a hopeful smile. Ian, once again, turned to walk away with a small huff of his shoulders. "I just..." the man blurted out desperately, "I miss you, just wanna know about your life Ian, I used to know everything about your life..."

"Ha, not everything," Ian grimaced at the memory of the relationship he once thought meant more to him that it did the coward in front of him, now he was just glad it ended as early as it did so he was able to experience real emotion.

"We were good together though," the man was clutching at straws, digging for remnants of the boy he once knew, still wanted, "You gotta admit, we made a good team." He forced a smiled and looked into the deep green eyes he'd dreamed about for so long.

Ian inhaled and exhaled sharply, rolling his eyes and looking to the sky for just a moment. He ran his left hand through his hair and dropped his right hand to trace across the bottom of his spine, looking for Mickey's touch. Even though the ex-con wasn't there, wasn't the one putting the pressure on the now familiar spot, Ian still felt the strength thrumming through him. He collected himself and turned to the person he no longer knew, "Look," he said bluntly, "We were a mess, and a bad idea, and you leaving was probably the smartest thing you've done since I've known you." The other mans expression fell flat and Ian pinched himself for pitying him. "But," he added reluctantly, "We worked once, whatever the fuck we were, it was important to me once... Hell, I probably even thought I loved you on-"

Ian was cut off from his condescension by lips crashing on to his, he pushed back fiercely and immediately broke the contact.

"Kash, what the fuck?!" He yelled with anger already clouding his reactions.

"Just..." His one time boss fumbled back, "I just... Let me..." And then he was kissing the red-head again with added further.

"What the fuck!" Iggy yelled, slamming a hand into Joey's chest and forcing him to stop in his tracks and take in the scene in front of them.

They had been at the derelict buildings almost the whole day. Eventually the target practice had stopped and Joey had gone on a beer run while Iggy pre-rolled a handful of joints. The two of them had sat in their old hideout after that, drinking, smoking and reminiscing about simpler times. The more they imbibed, the more open they were to their memories, the less painful it was to remember all of their brothers. The longer they'd sat there in that familiar old room, the easier it was to start to talk about Mickey again, to laugh about the stupid shit he used to do. By the end of the day the boys had been in stitches remembering the time with the dwarf at the swimming pool, they'd rolled on the floor laughing to the memory of Mickey threatening to kick the life guard in the shin if he didn't go along with their plan.

And that time they'd had their first shake-down for shop lifting. Running around the local Walmart and being very unsubtle in their attempts to steal the most expensive things they could fit under their coats. The store manager had collared them all and herded them into the office to pat them down and Mickey had kicked off in defense of them all. He'd yelled at the top of his 8 year old lungs that the man wasn't to touch them, that he'd sue the shit out of the whole store if the man laid a hand on his brothers. He'd yelled that he'd heard all about his type, the kinda guy who got his jollies from touching little boys. Iggy had joined in then, laughed and called the man a 'dirty fucking queer' and they'd all laughed until Terry had come to pick them up. Their father had clouted them all on the back of their heads for getting caught, but gave them all beer when they got home for making the effort.

The reverie had petered out after that, both boys silently remember those 3 words they'd all hurled around so fancifully for such a long time, such an easy insult and such a fucking honest one.

After a while of just going over all of it in their minds, separate inner monologues and individual pondering, both boys had silently come to the conclusion that the trip down memory lane was over. With one last stone throw each, they both missed, and a final look around to say goodbye to the place for good, the two Milkovich siblings had left the empty shell of their old sanctity and walked back towards relative civilisation.

-x-

As they'd wandered around the final corner before the main road back into town, Iggy had looked up and stopped dead.

"The fuck!?" Joey had shouted at the sudden shove from his brother, before following his eyes to see the two figures just in front of them. Ian Gallagher. Kissing another man. A man that was not Mickey.

"Oh fuck no!" Joey bellowed as he hurled himself towards the figures in the distance.

Iggy charged after his brother, not knowing whether he wanted to stop him from doing something stupid and getting his ass thrown in jail, or doing the stupid thing himself and serving the time proudly.

Ian pushed Kash away for a second time, not as quickly as the first because Kash had managed to knock his arms out from in between them and he couldn't get leverage on the older mans body. He wasn't quick enough though, as one minute he was pushing away a panicked ex lover, and the next he and said ex were being barreled into by a pair of fuming Milkovichs.

"The fuck did I say to you, huh?!" Joey yelled as he landed on top of Ian and threw a punch at the younger boys face.

Iggy had tackled Kash and easily separated the withering fool from his phone in order to prevent any 911 related incidents.

"Joey wait..." Ian struggled to get out between defending himself from vicious blows. He finally managed to kick the enraged thug off of him and jump to his feet, Iggy holding his attacker off of him, probably just to stop the older boy from killing Ian before he got a few hits in himself. "It's not what you think!" He rushed to explain, arms in the air placatingly, imploring the brothers to give him a chance to explain.

"Like fuck it isn't," Iggy hurled back before Joey had a chance to speak. "Or does fucking kissing mean something different in fairy world?"

"Oh that's clever," Kash mumbled from his position still on the floor. He'd obviously meant to be a lot quieter though, because the horrified look on the cowards face as the three youths turned to look at him, showed just how much the shop owner wished he had just kept his mouth shut. Iggy stomped on the hand he had resting on the ground and knelt down to whisper into Kash's ear sinisterly.

"You listen to me asshole," he spat dangerously, "You just crossed a Milkovich, you're this close to me just putting a bullet between your fucking eyes right now and putting you out of our misery," Iggy raised a hand and pinched his pointing finger and thumb together to highlight just how close he was to loosing control. "You say another fucking word and I you'll go from this close..." He sneered, closing the gap between finger and thumb until there wasn't even a space for air, "To already fucking dead, you understand me?"

Kash just cowered and sank into the floor some more.

Iggy raised himself and took his place next to his brother, in front of the red-head who still had his arms raised protectively. "Unfortunately you ain't so fucking lucky Gallagher, any last words before I rip off your shit-stain head?"

"Just wait a minute," Ian implored but he was saved from having to say anything else when another fist flew at his face.

 

-x-

 

Mickey was pumped up with energy and adrenaline, yet he was exhausted at the same time. He'd been storing up a lot of hatred for the man he blamed for Danny's death. A hatred he was so desperate to cling to because hatred was something he knew, something he could deal with and understand. But now, Charlie had seemed so lost, in a way Mickey would never understand because he'd been there. When Danny had left their lives for good he'd had no regrets because he'd been with him right up until the end, he'd visited the guy in jail the day before and they'd laughed and joked about Mickey stealing his car to enter into a demolition derby for a bit of extra cash. Well Mickey had laughed and joked, Danny had only laughed between glares. They'd separated as they'd lived, friends of some sort, more than friends actually, family. He'd loved Danny in a way he hadn't ever understood before, and Danny had loved him in a way he'd never known he'd needed.

But Charlie would never be able to feel that peace or reassurance. Every day for the rest of his life would be a guessing game as to what his father was thinking when he died, whether he'd forgiven him or whether he'd finally pushed too far. He'd never feel the security of knowing that person, who was so important, was proud of the person you were and had no doubts about the man you'd grow up to be despite the myriad of doubts you had yourself. For all intents and purposes, he was broken, and desperate and trying so hard to be someone that he needn't be trying to be.

Mickey pitied him, he felt so sorry for him and so relieved to not be him. And he was relaxed in a way he hadn't been in so long, having finally got some of that hatred and pent up anger off of his chest. Having said a part of what he wanted to say. He'd go back maybe, he knew it was possible, that one day he'd remember some other insult, or maybe he'd be the better person and think up some kind of reassurance. Either way, the chance was there that he'd go back and more would be said and he may feel even lighter from lifting an age old burden even further off of his shoulders.

For now though, his veins were coursing with the feeling of this new found freedom of a grudge that had been so intrinsic within him. He was exhausted from the emotional battlefield he'd just navigated, but he was happy to have come through it with such a powerful new perspective. Because he was the one with the power now, the power to decide if he would forgive and forget, or hold onto the grudge without having to really participate in it anyway.

He was pumped, his pulse racing, and his mind running as he sped down the road towards the old ruins he'd always called home in some form or another. He turned the last corner with a spring in his step, and then he looked up and his world shattered.

"Get the fuck off of him," he howled, sprinting across the empty road and hurtling toward the image of his brothers throwing punch after punch at the cornered Ian.

He grabbed Iggy and threw him off the red-head who had been pinned to the floor. He push Joey away and reached for his lovers hand to pull him back up onto his feet. Then he positioned himself between the man he loved and the brothers he missed so desperately.

"What the fuck!" He yelled at no one in particular.

"You sure do know how to fucking pick 'em Mickey!" Joey snarled back before turning on his heel and making to walk away.

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?" He shouted back, grabbing his brother's arm and spinning him back around.

Joey violently shook off Mickey's hand and then recoiled his arm as if he'd been burned. Mickey internally flinched at the thought of bein that disgusting to someone he cared so deeply about. But externally he schooled his features and tried to remain calm.

"Mick, it's OK," Ian pleaded, instinctively reaching a hand up to Mickey's lower back.

"Don't say another fucking word, you lying sack of shit!" Iggy roared before he could stop himself, he couldn't help it, he didn't want that piece of shit touching Mickey.

"What the fuck is going on?" Mickey demanded, looking between all three of the men in front of him.

"It doesn't fucking matter," Joey stated bluntly, once again turning to leave.

"Mick, they just-" Ian started to explain but was cut of by a volatile and incredulous Iggy.

"He was practically fucking some guy out here in the god damn street, that's what's going on!"

Joey stopped dead, but didn't turn. Iggy gritted his teeth and scrunched his eyes closed. Ian's mouth dropped open in desperation as Mickey's eyebrows shot up his forehead, the tattooed ex-con turned slowly to face his lover with a questioning look etched into his features.

"Mick, I swear to god-" the red-head started again, only to be cut off once more.

"Swear to whoever the fuck you want," this time it was Joey who interrupted, "It doesn't change shit, you're still scum." The oldest boy slowly turned around to look straight passed his brother and into the eyes of the man he hated more than anything for taking Mickey away, only to betray him so fucking brazenly. "I fucking told you, I said it wasn't fucking enough... You weren't enough... And I was fucking right," Joey approached dangerously, snarling out his words with a calm sort of aggressive that seemed to be instilled in all of the Milkovich children.

"What?!" Mickey asked no one in particular, stunned silent from everything his brain was trying to process. Ian reached out to touch his lover again and that was the last straw for Joey who hurled himself forward again to break the contact between the dirtbag he detested and the brother he was trying so hard to not care about.

Iggy pulled Joey back as quickly as he could, before a fight could break out. He knew that until Mickey understood the truth about the asshole he was protecting, that that was exactly what he'd do. He'd protect Ian with his life and he couldn't handle another fight with his brother, not one designed to actually hurt each other.

"You don't understand..." Ian protested desperately, angry and frustrated.

"Fuck you!" Iggy responded with a venom that shocked even himself.

"Someone better tell me something quick or I'm gonna lose my shit..." Mickey all but begged for some sort of closure to this mess.

"He was in the middle of the fucking street dry humping with the towelhead from the Kash'n'Grab!" Iggy explained aggressively, thrusting his arm in Ian's direction with nothing but disgust.

"Kash was here?" Mickey yelled, eyebrows once again raised up his forehead.

"Fucking coward bolted soon as he got the chance, you picked a real fucking winner there asshole!" Joey hurled to the panicked red-head.

"He back now?" Mickey asked angrily, turning to Ian for answers.

"Mick he just fucking turned up out the blue, I tried to walk away but he kept fucking pulling me back. I basically told him to fuck off but he wasn't getting it. He fucking kissed me Mick and I pushed him away, but then he kissed me again and they musta seen it cause next thing I know I'm pushing Kash away again then they're on us like a tonne of fucking bricks."

"Oh likely fucking story!" Iggy scoffed sarcastically.

All four boys were breathing heavily, chests heaving with barely contained anger and resentment, desperation and uncertainty clouding their uncertain minds. Silence reigned for a few moments as Ian and Mickey stared into each others eyes, one pleading to be believed and the other searching for any hint of a lie.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him!" Mickey shouted into the silence, rubbing the corner of his mouth with his thumb before clenching his fists and pacing a few minute steps up on the pavement.

"Mick," Ian whispered cautiously, raising his hand to the other boys back slowly, three sets of Milkovich eyes were on him, "Just don't get caught." He muttered with a reassuring smile. He could have begged Mickey not to do something stupid, but he was all too aware of the other eyes on him, waiting for him to show one single sign that he cared for Kash's well being. He knew how easily they would mistake his desire to stop Mickey from becoming a murderer for his desire to protect Kash.

Mickey just scoffed and nodded humourlessly.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" It could have been either Joey or Iggy who'd asked the question, both boys were looking incredulously between Ian and Mickey, their tempers both rising rapidly again. "You're buying this shit?" Joey added.

"He aint lying!" Mickey responded matter-of-factly, once again standing in between his brothers and his lover, practically daring them to try attack the red-head again.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Iggy yelled, "He's taking you for a fucking fool, man, he's fucking laughing at you!"

"You think so?" Was the ex-cons only response, calm and collected.

"I fucking saw it with my own eyes!"

"You don't know what you fucking saw," of this Mickey had no doubt.

"Oh, fuck you, man!" It was Joey's turn to shout. "He's a fucking lying sack of Gallagher piss! He's Frank's son for fucks sake, you gonna believe a word he fucking says? He's not fucking worth it!"

Mickey didn't respond, just stood his ground between the people he loved.

"He's fucking scum Mickey!" Iggy tried to get Mickey to understand, he all but begged him to see sense. By his side Joey damn near but pulling his hair out.

"He is gonna fuck you over, again and a-fucking-gain!" Was Joey's next contribution.

After more silence from Mickey, the other Milkovichs started talking over each other to hurl insults Ian's way, promises of fucking heartbreak and misery for Mickey if he didn't get smart quick.

Mickey tried to drown the voices out, tried to calm his frayed temper and just drown out the sounds of his brothers ripping his world apart. He tried not to hear them, to focus on Ian's hand on his back. He tried to let it all brush over him. But their voices just got louder, their words more cruel, their promises more vivid and more horrific until Mickey couldn't take any more noise and he just lost it.

"What the fuck do you care!?" He shouted to both brothers.

Ian grabbed his shirt to stop him from moving forward towards a fight.

"You're our fucking brother!" Joey shouted before he could stop himself, Iggy for his part, just shook his head in incredulous agreement.

"I don't have any brothers!" Mickey returned sharply, painfully for everyone involved. "Remember, I ain't one of you anymore! Just the four of you now, I'm nothing, fucking no one... REMEMBER?!" He boomed, a desperate sort of anger consuming him from every fibre of his being. "Why the fuck do you care?"

Another pause, where both Iggy and Joey seemed to contemplate everything that'd happened so far that day. The memories flashing through them both as Mickey stood there in front of them, so close yet far too far away to touch or even really feel.

"Fuck you!" Joey spat when he couldn't come up with anything else to say, his mind clogged with the things he was supposed to feel and the things he actually felt. He stormed off without a single glance back and Mickey could feel a tear sting at his eye at the renewed loss. Iggy stayed in front of him for a few moments longer. Either looking at him properly for the first time in forever, or simply looking through him like he was nothing, Mickey hated that he couldn't tell which. Then, as sudden as this had started, it was over. Iggy turned and walked away, following the footsteps of his older brother, who was already halfway down the block and almost entirely out of sight.

Mickey exhaled the breath he'd be holding in for dear life, he sagged where he stood and all but fell to the floor in built up emotion and stabbing disappointment. Ian caught him and pulled him into his arms. "I'm so fucking sorry Mick," he whispered into his hair. "So fucking sorry."

Ian told him everything, as they were walking home. He told Mickey about what had happened with Joey a couple of days before, what he planned to do, why he hadn't said anything, his own doubts about how undeserving he is of a man who has literally given up his life for him.

Mickey just listened and acknowledged what was being said, umming and ahhing in the appropriate places. His face didn't betray any of the emotions that Ian knew were bubbling under the surface.

It was only when they'd walked through the front door of their house that Mickey allowed himself to breath, allowed himself to slump to the couch and all but hyperventilate in his desperate attempts to control the feelings boiling up under his skin. He didn't cry, tears leaked and his eyes stung through unshed moisture, but he didn't cry. Ian sat beside him and said nothing, he was just there, right where Mickey needed him, whenever Mickey needed him.

After a long and almost stifling silence Ian heard a sound he loved more than any other, a sound he was more than a little surprised to hear tonight. Mickey was laughing, it was short and conflicted, not forced but unsure. Ian leaned forward and reached to turn Mickey to face him, he raised his eyebrows as if to ask what was so fucking funny, a small smile forming on his own lips from just the sight of Mickey relaxing again.

Mickey just breathed for a few moments more, a conflict of emotions flooding his thoughts, an internal battle between hope and desperation. "They fucking give a shit," he whispered with an almost comical snort of confusion.

It could have broken Ian's heart to see the range of battling emotions in Mickey's eyes. The hurt and the confusion, daring to hope but being too scared to allow himself to believe it. It could have broken his heart to see Mickey so uncertain and so desperate. But instead Ian smiled brightly, a blinding smile that danced around his eyes when he looked into Mickey's piercing blue orbs and saw that, for now at least, seemingly insurmountable pain and doubts had given way to hope. Mickey was smiling too.


	27. An Interesting Development

"What the fuck are we supposed to do now?" Iggy asked desperately.

"The fuck should I know?" Was Joey's exasperated response. They'd had this conversation several times since the altercation the day before.

"We shouldn't fucking care, he's right about that much! It's no big deal, nothing to do with us. Let him get fucked over by the asshole!" This, too, had been said many times.

"Yeah," Joey sighed tiredly, "But we do give a shit," he all but whined, "Least I do..."

Iggy just slumped down onto the couch from where he had been pacing back and forward, and ran a hand down his face. "Yup, me too..."

"So what now?" Joey all but laughed.

Joey leaned forward from his own seat on the couch and rested his head in his hands. Both boys exhaled slowly and let silence take over for a while.

Unfortunately, it being the Milkovich household, silence didn't last very long.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Mandy yelled as she slammed through the front door, followed closely by Jamie and Tony who were both giggling like school girls. Mandy stomped into her room and shoved the door closed behind her, while the giggling Milkovich boys breezed through the living room and threw themselves into any available couch cushion, still laughing to themselves.

Joey smacked Tony's shoulder and stared down at him, eyebrows raised and demanding an explanation. Tony just laughed and shook his head, "She's just being a touchy bitch," he joked.

"Probably just PMSing," Jamie contributed with another snort of laughter.

"Yeah?" Joey remarked, "And what set her off this time?" Oh he knew his brothers weren't that innocent in the arrival of her bad mood.

"Usual shit," Jamie explained unhelpfully.

Iggy and Joey just continued to glare at the two boys beside them, obviously not appeased.

"Fuck man," Tony drawled, "T'was nothing, alright. You'da been proud actually," he sing-songed. "Just bumped into Mickey and reminded him of what he is to us now, Mandy was with him and she didn't like it all that much."

Tony and Jamie both laughed at the reignited memory before Jamie saw fit to expand on it. "You shoulda seen that faggots face... the Gallagher douche he's shacking up with... Man, the guy looked like he wanted to rip us apart, jumping in to defend Mickey's fucking honour or some shit. Funny as fuck man."

Iggy and Joey looked at each other then, neither knowing whether to pretend to be proud of their siblings or not, both struggling to hide their discomfort at the image of Mickey's face when he was once again targeted by the people he so obviously loved. Because as ignorant as people said they were Iggy and Joey had finally accepted that Mickey did indeed love them, he'd been proving it his whole life. They couldn't love him back anymore but they could acknowledge that this wasn't their brother forgetting about them. This wasn't Mickey suddenly becoming someone else and not giving a shit about his old life anymore, his old family. And, although they couldn't admit it yet, it hurt to think of what it meant to Mickey to have to deal with their brothers cruel taunts, because it hurt to think of themselves in that position.

Then the disgust would come back because they would never be in that position. It was gross and unnatural and how could Mickey want to be with another man like that, how could anybody. They both grimaced at the separate thoughts that conjured and they shook their heads to clear the unwanted feelings of loss away.

Tony and Jamie remained oblivious to their brothers internal conflicts and continued to laugh and mutter about the interaction like it was the best thing they'd done this year. Faggot this, aids monkey that. Disgusting Mickey, fucking fairy, piece of shit, can't believe we used to call that fucking freak brother...

Iggy had enough, he shoved himself up and stormed out of the Milkovich house.

 

-x-

 

"Yo, wait up," Joey called out, sprinting down the road to catch up with his troubled sibling.

"I can't do it!" Iggy yelled over his shoulder, not slowing his pace even remotely. "Can't fucking deal with that shit!"

"I know," Joey proclaimed, running that little bit faster, "Ig wait."

"You don't fucking know!" His brother shouted back, finally stopping to turn to face him. "I don't hate him Joe, never fucking did! What, you think cause at first I said the words, told him he was disgusting, told him he wasn't a Milkovich no more, that I actually believed all that bullshit?" Iggy paced back and forward on the sidewalk, waving his arms frantically. "I tried," he whispered, "I really fucking tried but I couldn't hate him them, don't hate him now..."

Joey raised a hand to Iggy's shoulder reassuringly but the younger boy just threw it off. "It's fucking Mickey!" He shouted, "Mandy's fucking right, he was the best one of us, god knows he took hits for us all! He was the one I always went to with shit! How can he do... How can he fucking be... How can I god damn hate Mickey?" Iggy's frustrated and tormented eyes were pleading for an answer.

"You think I ever hated him?" Joey retorted humourlessly. "That day we saw Gallagher on the street and you guys thought I went back to pound on him or some shit...?"

Iggy just nodded at the memory.

"I went back to tell him he wasn't good enough, never would be." Joey closed his eyes and shook his head, looking to the floor and trying to collect his thoughts. "This is Mickey Ig, how the fuck do you hate someone who's been protecting your ass since fucking birth, even though he's like 2 fucking years younger?"

Joey sank down to the floor, leaning back against the building as he fumbled for stones to throw at random, pointless targets. "I kept thinking, what would dad say? If he knew what I was thinking, that I didn't care about any of it, not really, I just wanted my brother back... He'd fucking kill me... Gay?!" He shouted, looking up at Iggy who was staring down at him. "It's disgusting, unnatural, fucking worse than scum, lowest of the low."

Iggy slid down the wall and sat next to his brother, leaning his head back as he listened to the list of slurs he'd spent his whole life hearing.

"But now I realise," Joey said brightly, "Dad's a fucking hypocrite!" He smiled and looked over at his younger brother, "What he did to Mandy...!?" The smile faded to disgust. "Terry's a piece of shit Ig, always has been, always will be and I don't give a shit what he says or what he thinks..." Joey exhaled and looked to the floor, "I fucking miss Mickey... Gay?... Ig, I don't give a shit what he does with who, it don't make any fucking difference... He's fucking Mickey." Tears threatened to spill from Joey's eyes as he blinked furiously to keep them at bay, he inhaled sharply and looked to the sky, desperation sinking in at the thought of all that had passed.

Sad smiles plagued both boys features as they realised everything that had happened, as well as everything that was to come.

"He's our brother," Iggy agreed softly.

 

-x-

 

After the mornings run in with the other two Milkovich siblings Ian was fucking furious. Mickey had retreated to the Garage, saying he needed to work to clear his head. It was a crushing blow, even though it was an expected one. As soon as Mickey had turned the corner, out of sight, Ian had flared up and charged off in search of any Milkovich he could find. After a few giant strides toward the Milkovich household he'd realised the damage confronting the whole family would do, so he texted Mandy and asked if Joey or Iggy were home, he had to get through to them, no more waiting. She'd text back straight away saying that they were there and he'd made his way over, figuring a plan would come to him soon. No plan came but luckily a text did, just as he was reaching the steps to the house, Mandy text him again saying they weren't there anymore, she had no clue where they'd gone and she didn't wanna ask Tony or Jamie because if she had to speak to either of them again she'd probably kill them.

Ian had retreated from the house gratefully and gone in search of the wayward siblings. He thought about trying the abandoned buildings as that was where they had been yesterday. Then he guessed they wouldn't be going back there because of their confrontation with Mickey the previous day, that probably left them desperately trying to prove that they didn't give a shit about him.

He had no idea where they went but he did know where Mickey used to go to shoot targets under the El, it was the same place most people went, the same place Linda had taken Kash and him, the same place Frank went and hopefully the same place Joey and Iggy went too. He could, after all, only hope that they were together so he could get this over with as soon as possible.

Unfortunately God seemed to be punishing Ian for something and his journey was once again halted by Kash.

"What the fuck do you want?" Ian asked coldly when he saw the other man trot out of the Kash 'n' Grab and run towards him.

"Just wanted to talk?" He responded gently, raising his hands in surrender.

"Oh yeah, that what yesterday was?" He asked back venomously.

"OK I got carried away," the older man placated. "I'm sorry, I was just... Excited to see you I guess." He laughed.

"Go fuck yourself!" Ian snapped.

"Ian, come on.."

"NO!" Ian shouted, stopping to push Kash against a wall. "Fuck you Kash, seriously, fuck you!" Ian pushed away from the shopkeeper and resumed his mission toward the El.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Kash demanded, finding a semblance of a backbone and running after him. "You're not you anymore... Not my Ian..."

"HA!" Ian spat. "No Kash, I'm not your fucking Ian!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, laughing to himself when Kash tried desperately to hush him. "Oh fuck no, you wanna do this now well we're doing it now!"

He pushed Kash back against the wall and thrust a finger into the older mans chest. "You're a fucking coward and you're a fucking idiot. I was never your Ian, and even if I was I would never go back there! I Know what it is to love someone now, I mean really love someone, not just fuck because its exciting or convenient. I know what stupidity is, what you were..."

"I love you Ian, couldn't stop thinking about you, it's why I came back," he whispered, hoping above hope that no one overheard.

"Well then it was a wasted journey," Ian promised, walking away again.

Realisation dawned on Kash finally, the incident yesterday, 'You've crossed a Milkovich'.

"This is about fucking Mickey?" Kash all but whined, shocked and obviously repulsed.

"Oh no," Ian scorned, turning around speedily, "Fuck you!" He crowded the other man for the final time. "You do not get to judge Mickey! He is twice the fucking man you could ever even hope to be. Yeah, damn right it's about him. I love him. He fucking completes me... All that sappy bullshit I never believed even existed before I met him. He's it and he's fucking perfect so if you EVER talk down about him again I swear to god I will break every bone in your body before you've even finished the sentence, you understand me Kash."

Maybe he was overreacting but the truth was he was sick of the looks Mickey got, the constant scorn and judgement thrown at him. He was still pumped up with anger from the confrontation before and he was so full of adrenaline that he couldn't hold it all back anymore, especially when he thought that maybe Mickey believed it all, accepted that he was no good. No, Ian was on a mission he would be damned if he let anyone else speak a word against the man he loved. He didn't wait for a response before turning on his heel and walking away, knowing whatever was said next would just lead to him thumping the other man square in the jaw, and that wouldn't help anyone.

"Fucking fag!" Kash shouted from his position still against the wall. "He's a fucking fag!"

Ian turned to see Kash pointing straight at him, looking across the road, he followed the older mans eyes and a flair of hatred sparked in him when he saw a group of white supremacist wannabes on the opposite pavement staring daggers at him.

After only a few seconds of standoff the first nazi scumbag spat to the floor as he started to walk towards him full of obvious hatred, followed closely by the other three. Ian snarled and started moving toward them fearlessly, too worked up to think about running. He threw a wild punch that connected sharply with the first guys throat, but unfortunately the guy recovered quick enough to land a swift punch on Ian's cheek and then the other three were there and Ian realised he may have bitten off more than he could chew.

"Oi!" The red-head heard from somewhere behind him, temporarily holding off the beating. "This a closed fight or can we join in... Hate fucking fags man." Ian could have laughed at his bad luck when he turned to see Joey and Iggy marching toward the ruckus with hate in there eyes, he suddenly lost the will to even try to fight back. The pair didn't falter as they approached and Ian just closed his eyes and inhaled, clenching his fists and waiting for the first hit to come. Except, Joey hadn't been looking at him, neither had Iggy, they marched straight up to the group and they did indeed throw some very vicious looking punches, Ian could only imagine though as neither landed on him. "Or was it fucking Nazi's I can't stand?" Iggy snarled sarcastically. The skinheads were only taken aback by the new opponents for a few short moments before they pulled themselves back together and re-entered the fight.

 

-x-

 

"Thought that was you I heard tinkering around back here," Matty commented as he walked through the garage to the office, "We don't usually see you down here this early, what's up man?"

"Figured these other assholes should probably actually see me at work now and again, else they'll start questioning how I'm still getting paid." Mickey was grease stained and sweaty, underneath an old car that any other owner would have just thrown away by now. But the guy who brought it in was a passionate collector and Mickey had to admit that this was his favourite part of the job. Fixing up something so old and passed over by everyone else, making it work like new after everyone else disregarded it. He always worked the hardest on these old engines, and today it was helping him forget about the latest run in with his siblings. This one had hurt the most because yesterday he had foolishly convinced himself that maybe things could get better after all. Now, at least, he knew that would never be the case.

But he had Ian, he had the Gallaghers, and right now he had this old car that was doing a damn good job of keeping him distracted.

"Let 'em ask, not like anyone's gonna confront you about it, and they ain't gonna come to me or I'll just threaten to show them the door." Matty smiled down at Mickey as he shuffled through the stack of envelopes in his hand.

"Yeah well, sooner I get this tin can fixed up, sooner I can start on that Chevvy over there," Mickey wagged his eyebrows at the brand new Silverado pick up that had been dropped off that morning.

"We both know you'd take this old Impala over that fancy new truck any day of the week, seriously, you OK man?" Genuine concern laced the old mans voice, no condescension or judgement.

Mickey scoffed to himself and internally decided he'd been spending way too much time with the Gallaghers if he was starting to see the good in people. "Im alright, just needed a distraction."

"Yeah I hear ya, the wife is going on about going on fucking vacation like I earn enough to take her around the damn world and still have a garage to come back to." Matty shook his head and rolled his eyes, stopping his shuffling long enough to study a handwritten note that had been left with the mail.

"Why not just sell the place, isn't it about time you retired now anyway?" Mickey laughed ducking further underneath the chassis when Matty threw a screwdriver at him. "Watch it now, that's Freddy's, dude'll be pissed if he knew you been throwing it around like that."

"Seriously Mickey," the older man asked incredulously, "Why you gotta mess with his tools, you got your own screwdrivers man, you know I get it in the neck every time someone touches his shit..."

Mickey cut off the rant he was sure was coming his way by laughing and shrugging, failing to look innocent as he proclaimed softly that "Yes I got my own tools but I already lent 'em to Vince and he's in the middle of summit man, I didn't wanna disturb him."

Matty sighed and looked around to see Vince bashing out an old piece of metal. "Jesus Christ Vince, what the fuck have I told you, you do that shit on your own time..."

Mickey laughed again and Matty turned to frown at him, "You encouraging this?"

"Hey man, I'm just an innocent bystander." Another revealing laugh and Matty decided on an easy life so just gave up and held the scruffily scribbled note in the air just in front of Mickey.

"Donnie took a delivery earlier apparently, for you, hand delivered, doesn't know who it was," the garage owner held the piece of paper steady for Mickey to study, before re-reading it himself and shaking his head. "The guy, he's lived here what? Four fucking years? He still doesn't know who anyone is."

"He's harmless man, just figures if he keeps away from everyone in the neighbourhood then maybe trouble won't find him." Mickey pulled himself up to ground level, brushing himself off and following Matty into the office.

"If he wants to avoid trouble he should probably stop schtupping a loan sharks, barely legal, bimbo wife." Matty walked straight to the cupboard where parcels are kept locked away until he can sort through them.

"Sounding kinda bitter their boss? You like a bit of barely legal?" Mickey laughed back, sitting in Matty's chair and resting his legs up on his bosses desk.

"I'm happily imprisoned in a devoted marriage to a woman I'm far to scared to leave, yet alone cheat on." When older man turned to see Mickey in his chair with a big cheesy grin on his face he rolled his eyes and walked over to hand him the heavy parcel. He then went over to the couch on the other side of the room and sat down, looking at Mickey expectantly.

"A little privacy maybe?" Mickey joked.

"Fuck that, shit was heavy, I'm intrigued." His boss retorted.

Mickey just rolled his eyes with a smile. He looked down to the package in his lap, it was a box covered in parcel paper and he tore off the wrapping impatiently, then reached for some scissors off of Matty's desk to cut the tape holding the box shut. He then placed the box on the floor and opened up the flaps, but when he saw what was inside the box all hurry left him and he couldn't help but stop and stare. He couldn't move or speak, not even to answer Matty's questions about what was in the box, he could barely even hear the question.

Matty threw himself up and sprinted over to the box, muttering about seeing for his god damn self, he looked over the desk and down into the box, smiling warmly when he saw the contents.

"Oh my god," the older man exclaimed, "Are those fucking Danny's tools?"

Mickey still couldn't speak but he lowered himself down and reached inside the box, he grabbed the toolbox at the handles on either side and slowly lifted it free of its cardboard constraints. The box was a worn away sort of red colour, with faded black ink markings along the top from when Danny got bored with a marker pen in his hands, the guy would doodle on anything if his attention wasn't being kept on other things. The toolbox was old and crumbling in places, the type that folds up into a perfect rectangle with small handles on either side and one large handle on the top. The metal was rusting but to Mickey it looked perfect. He kicked away the expendable box and re-deposited the toolbox on the floor, staring at it for a few seconds more before leaning down and finally opening it with the small key that had been left in the lock.

"They are Danny's," Matty breathed, "He refused to buy new ones when anything broke, just taped it all up and drew shit all over the tape in tip-ex."

Mickey just nodded slowly, taking in the sight of all the tools he remembered so well. All the tools he loved as a kid, always hoped would be his one day. He smiled down at the mish mash of old and ancient hardware, laughing quietly whenever his eyes fell on one object he remembered particularly well.

"Who the fuck left these for you?" His boss inquired happily.

"Danny," was all Mickey could think to say. "In his fucking will," the younger boy laughed, finally looking up to meet Matty's eyes.

"Man..." The older man drawled, "Make's sense though, you were like a son to that guy."

Mickey just smiled again and nodded. "Yeah well his son didn't like that all too much, decided to keep the tools for himself."

"Yeah I remember him, Charlie right? He kept turning up here causing trouble for the old man, got him sent down," Matty remembered somberly.

"Yeah," Mickey confirmed, "Turned over a new leaf though now apparently. Ian's sister works for him, I ran into him not long back, shit got messy and he told me all this crap about making things right, starting with giving me back the tools Danny wanted me to have... Gotta tell ya man, I wanted these, I really wanted these... Didn't think the son of a bitch would actually hand them over though."

"Just a shame Danny didn't leave you any money to go with it," Matty joked.

"Did, Charlie took that too."

"Oh yeah? He making that right too?"

"I don't give a shit about that man, never wanted money from Danny," the young Milkovich smirked up at his boss, "Make enough of that bleeding your ass dry!"

"Ha!" Was Matty's only response, he didn't need Mickey to expand, he knew how much he and Danny had meant to each other and he knew how much having the tools must mean to the younger boy now.

After a few minutes of silent staring in awe at the tools in front of Mickey, the garage owner coughed and stood up straight from where he had been slouched against the desk. "Well," he proclaimed, "You gonna sit here all day staring like a teenage girl in front of a cock for the first time, or you gonna get the fuck back out there and put those tools to good use."

Mickey scoffed at his smiling boss, he rolled his eyes as he leaned down to pick up the heavy old tool box, heading back to his workstation, new tools in hand, with a sudden understanding of just why Freddy cared so much for the well-being of his instruments. Luckily for Mickey, no one at the garage would dare touch what is his.

 

-x-

 

"Not that I'm complaining but what the fuck just happened?" Ian asked cautiously.

The fight hadn't lasted all that long, between the three of them Iggy, Joey and Ian could more than handle a bunch of idiots posing as nazi gang members. The Milkovich brothers had unloaded a barrage of terrific punches that hit a target every time, unfortunately their accuracy wasn't always spot on so sometimes that target was either one of them or Ian, but the point is they fought hard and soon enough the skin heads had run away with their, metaphorical, tails between their legs.

Kash didn't move from the doorway he'd been huddled up in until the fight ended and Ian glared daggers at him. The second the red-head turned as if he was going to approach the older man, Kash had pushed himself forward and darted across the road to the Kash 'n' grab. Ian just scoffed and turned away from the fleeing coward, turning back to face his unlikely allies.

"Whatever, don't make me regret it." Joey muttered back, not knowing what else to say.

Ian laughed, only slightly nervously. "Ok, well, thanks." He stumbled to say, standing awkwardly in front of the very uncomfortable looking brothers.

"Yeah well, figured Mickey'd be pissed if we just let you get stomped." Iggy explained sloppily, desperately trying to bring up his brother but not knowing how.

"Again, not that I'm complaining... And thanks and everything... But yesterday you kinda wanted to do the stomping?" Ian didn't want to push his luck but he was confused and more than a little bit wary.

"Oh I REALLY wanted to do the stomping!" Iggy affirmed, wanting to highlight just how scared Ian should have been yesterday, but also how that wasn't the case today, so in essence trying to explain without having to explain the epiphany he had had earlier, a lesson Ian would probably have caught on to much quicker if he had known what the hell the older boy was getting at.

"Yeah and earlier today so did your brothers apparently... So I guess what I'm asking is, whats changed?"

"We aint our brothers!" Joey all but shouted back, still angry about the confrontation Jamie and Tony had described so brazenly earlier. He didn't understand how hating Mickey had come so easily for them, how they even seemed happy to do it, so he was now working on the assumption that they were too stupid to know better and as such would be able to hate him or Iggy just as quickly if they ever did anything Terry deemed unacceptable. Like making amends with Mickey for example.

"OK..." Ian said cautiously, realising he'd hit a nerve, still not understanding a thing of what was going on but being unsure of how wise it was to ask again.

"Listen," Joey exhaled, pacing for a moment to try to collect himself, he wasn't good at this shit and he had no idea how to just get to the point he wanted to get to without having to go through all of this explaining bullshit. "Alright... you mean all that shit you just said about Mickey?"

Ian's mouth fell open in shock, he hadn't even considered the possibility that they'd heard all of that. And now he knew they had he was even more confused because if anything hearing him shout about his and Mickey's gay relationship in a crowded street would make the Milkovich brothers even more angry, or so he thought. "Every word, and more." He was shocked but he didn't hesitate to answer, they had to have already known the answer anyway. After everything that had happened they had to know how much Ian loved their brother.

"Good, you ever stop meaning it, then you'll get stomped." That was as good as Joey could do, it was all the explaining Ian was gonna get.

It was enough. "Fair enough," the red-head responded honestly, "But that'll never happen, he's it for me-"

"OK enough with the fag-" Iggy exhaled awkwardly, rubbing his frustrated eyes at the easy insult he was just now trying to get used to not resorting to. "The uh... Sappy shit..."

"OK, what's going on?" The young Gallagher never thought he'd see the day that a Milkovich sibling would deliberately try to avoid offending someone, especially if that someone was him. Between that and the Mickey related awkwardness, well Ian's mind was well and truly scrambled.

"Where's Mickey?" Was Joey's only response, calm but insistent.

"Me knowing the answer to that depends on what you're gonna do when you find him?" Ian was calm too, but he failed to cover up the worry and the threat in his voice, if this was all just a show to find Mickey and cause him more turmoil then Ian would not let it happen.

"We ain't gonna do shit." Joey retorted defensively, even though, OK, maybe they deserved that response.

"Then why should I tell you?" The soldier in training probed determinedly. He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice but he wanted this to be genuine so badly, for Mickey's sake.

"Listen Gallagher-"

"No you listen, Mick deserves-"

"Now hold up," Joey butted in, raising his hands to point at Ian. "Don't you go into it with us about what Mickey deserves alright. I meant what I said the other day, what you got ain't enough. Mickey's a Milkovich, he needs his family. That's how we were raised, it's all we know..."

Ian opened his mouth to interrupt but he was stopped by Joey waving at him frantically to shut him up.

"And before you say anything," the older boy cut him off, "I know we haven't been much of a family to him recently and god knows we both tried pretty damn hard to hate him for what he is..." He exhaled slowly and looked straight into Ian's eyes. "But the fact is... He's just Mickey and he's our fucking brother-"

"And we fucking miss him man," Iggy all but yelled over his brothers explanation in a desperate attempt to get to the point and speed things along. "So can you just tell us where the hell he is so we can get all this soppy shit out of the way and just get our fucking brother back?"

"Matty's Garage!" Ian said instantly, a huge smile encapsulating his face after he'd looked for any trace of a lie between the two brothers and not found it.

"OK..." Joey mumbled, "Cool..." He turned to walk away before halting and turning back to Ian again, obviously uncomfortable and completely out of his depth, Ian was loving every minute of it. "Yeah, so... Thanks!" He finished finally, rushing through the words then turning on his heel and power walking down the street, followed anxiously by a mortified looking Iggy.

Ian waited all of a second before laughing to himself and excitedly jogging after the retreating Milkovich boys with an honest, wide, smile plastered across his face.


	28. Family Growth

"Hey Matty, Mickey here?" Ian asked after knocking on the office front door, peering in slightly to see the garage boss sat at his desk and fighting a losing battle with a rubix cube.

"Hey man," the older men said back, looking genuinely pleased for the distraction as he set the cube aggressively back on the desk. "Yeah he's tinkering with an old Impala that seems to be taking twice as long to fix than any other car he's ever worked on." Matty smiled at Ian and gestured for him to come in, turning as he stood and heading over to the door to the garage to let Mickey know of his guest. "I'll go pry him awa-"

Matty stopped speaking as he glanced around quickly to see just who was stepping inside his office behind Ian. He quickly re-shut the garage door and turned sharply to face the three visitors. "Fuck's going on here?"

Ian smiled warmly and rested his hands on his hips, turning and quirking an eyebrow at the Milkovich brothers who flanked him, silently instructing them to explain.

Joey sighed and stepped forward, "We just wanna see Mickey man, we don't want no trouble."

Iggy looked anxious, Joey just looked tired, but Ian was grinning from ear to ear so Matty contemplated just out-and-out believing that the boys meant no harm because there was no way the red-head would bring them here if that weren't the case. Unfortunately his years in the South Side had taught him never to just trust a scenario at face value, so he raised his eyebrows and looked between the brothers, arms crossed over his chest in a way he hoped conveyed how serious he was.

"They're cool," Ian laughed, raising his arms as reassurance of his certainty of the statement. "They've seen the error of their ways," he added mockingly.

Joey just rolled his eyes and Iggy looked straight to the floor.

"Oh yeah? What brought this revelation on then?" Matty planted his own hands on his hips and stared down the two thugs in front of him.

"Doesn't fucking matter," Iggy protested, finally looking up, "Would you just get Mickey so we can sort this shit out already... Christ!" He couldn't help but snap, he was frustrated as all hell and he just wanted to get his damn brother back but it seemed the closer he got to Mickey the further he seemed from resolution, like there was always someone else to go through first.

Matty just glared harder and planted his feet firmly on the floor.

Joey exhaled slowly and looked to a smirking Ian, "You enjoying this?" He asked the annoyingly happy Gallagher.

"Very much," the younger boy affirmed, happy with making the Milkovich brothers work for a resolution after all they had put Mickey through. As far as he was concerned the more uncomfortable they were the better. The whole walk over to the garage he'd had to bite his tongue to hold back inappropriate comments about his and Mickey's love life in a bid to make his brothers cringe as dramatically as possible. He had an internal dialogue with himself about how far he could push each boy and he was pretty sure with only a couple of words he could probably make Iggy sick.

Iggy ran his hands over his face exhaustively and Joey shuffled on his feet. "We just wanna talk to him," the older boy all but begged, looking straight into Matty's eyes to show how serious he was.

Matty just looked back to Ian for final confirmation and, only after a few extended seconds, the red-head took pity on the fraying Milkovichs and nodded silently to Mickey's boss. The garage owner didn't say another word, just turned and opened the garage door, walking through it before shutting it firmly behind him.

Iggy and Joey just stood transfixed for a matter of moments, staring at the shut door and trying to work out what the fuck that was. Iggy looked about ready to punch someone or maybe break down or something. Joey looked anxious and desperate and all together knackered and Ian had to laugh at the irony of him now feeling sorry for the two boys he'd spent the last few months hating with a passion. When, after a number of minutes the door still hadn't opened Joey pushed himself off the wall he'd taken to leaning on and made a dramatic beeline for the door. Ian tried to grab his arm to stop a possible confrontation, but he was distracted by Iggy perched on the edge of the desk looking thoroughly miserable and rocking helplessly back and forward.

Just before Joey reached the door, however, it swung open with full force and Joey jumped back a couple of feet in surprise, face only settling once he saw who the intruder was.

"Ian? Everything OK? Matty said-" Mickey's words caught in his throat as he walked through the door frame and looked up from the ground expecting to see just his lover stood there. When his eyes landed on two of his brothers stood awkwardly around the red-head, well he couldn't form a single solitary thought that didn't involve the word "Shit!"

"Fuck is going on?" The tattooed ex-con spat out through gritted teeth. He looked ready to attack, or defend, whichever proved necessary.

"I got started on!" Ian blurted out, instantly regretting his choice of wording seeing as the only reason he spoke in the first place was to stop Mickey charging fist first into the battle that he could tell was already brewing behind the ex-cons eyes.

Mickey immediately clenched his fists and charged to Ian's side, growling at his brothers to back off.

"No... Shit, I mean..." Ian scrambled for words to explain, suddenly incredibly nervous and just as desperate not to screw this up as the other two boys in the room with a now raging Mickey. "Mick," Ian said calmly, running a hand down Mickey's shoulder reassuringly, firmly stealing his gaze from his anxious brothers across the room. "Kash found me on the street, started saying shit and I turned him down again. Said some cruel things too..."

"He started on you?" Mickey scoffed disbelievingly.

Ian let out a sharp laugh, "No," he declared humourously. "No, but he didn't like what I had to say so he kindly let a bunch of skin head dicks across the street know about my sexual orientation."

"He set a bunch on Nazis on you?" The ex-con snarled back, his eyebrows raised and his mouth severe.

"Yeah," Ian smiled.

"Gallagher, why the fuck are you so happy about that?" Mickey asked back incredulously.

"I'm not, I'm not," the red-head shot back, trying in vain to control his wayward smile.

Mickey looked around again at the other two men in the room, before turning back to Ian and all but demanding an explanation.

"They came over and I was too hyped up on adrenaline to run away so we got into it," the soldier boy explained, finally overcoming his nervous laughter and expressing a much more neutral tone. "There were a few of them so I knew pretty much from the start that I was gonna get beat, then I hear your brothers over there asking if they could join in."

Mickey snarled again and turned to look between the two Milkovich boys still stood silently just a few paces away. Logic stopped him charging and just pounding into them, Ian wouldn't have brought them here if this story was gonna end how it looked like it was gonna end, and he certainly wouldn't be smiling so damn much about it.

"This a long story?" Mickey asked sharply, desperately wanting to get to the point so he could shoo his brothers away and try to stem the knot from building in his stomach at having them so close but not being able to look at them as his brothers anymore. He missed them so much but he just wanted them gone and this day over.

Ian smiled warmly at his lover and lowered his hands to his sides, he shrugged gently then all but whispered. "They saved my ass Mick."

Mickey just stared at his partner, he inhaled and exhaled on repeat, focusing on the pattern in order to control his emotions. He bit his lip and willed his eyes not to water. The black-haired boy had no idea what that meant, he didn't have a clue what he was supposed to do with it, he didn't no how to let himself hope so instead he focused on all the things he did know.

"That so?" Mickey asked reservedly, slowly turning to face his brothers and refusing to say more than was necessary in case his voice gave way to the tears that threatened to spill from his watering iris'.

By this point the corner of Mickey's lip was thoroughly buried between his teeth, his eyebrows raised even as his face was lowered. Iggy was stood slightly behind Joey, hands in his pockets and face firmly staring at the ground. The oldest Milkovich brother was stood in between the other two, he was staring at Mickey through terrified eyes, although he hid it as well as only a Milkovich could. His whole bottom lip was sucked into his mouth and his eyebrows were furrowed in question. What to do, what to say, how to act.

After a few moments too long Iggy bounded forward. "Listen... Fuck..." the spluttering boy fumbled for words that were not forthcoming. Remembering the question Mickey had asked at their last encounter, why the hell it mattered if they thought Ian was fucking about with Kash, it's not like they gave a shit about him right? Iggy mumbled a few incomprehensible words in an attempt to hone in his thoughts. "What you said before?" he asked pleadingly. "Alright, we fucking care... OK? Christ." He spluttered, internally kicking himself for making it sound so much more harsh than it'd been intended.

"I'm supposed to be grateful?" Was Mickey's only response, calm and withdrawn.

"No," the other boy all but whined, "Just-"

"What do you need?" Mickey cut him off coldly.

"What?" Iggy asked, both him and Joey visibly taken aback by Mickey's steely resolve.

"Look," the tattooed ex-con explained tiredly. "I'm guessing there's a reason you suddenly give a shit, so what is it? You piss off another husband? Punch an undercover again?"

"That was you," Iggy accused back defensively, before he could stop himself.

"Nah, that was me..." Joey interrupted before Mickey could say anything else. He tried to sound light-hearted, add a bit of humour to soften the obvious tension in the room, but Mickey's stoic frame didn't falter and Joey slumped a little in defeat.

"Just give me a name and I'll sort it." Mickey ordered, voice breaking only slightly.

"But... What?" Confusion swelled between Iggy and Joey, both desperately looking for a break in Mickey's resolve, an opening through which to see the solution, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

"Christ," Mickey bellowed, making everyone in the room jump slightly, Ian reached a hand to Mickey's lower back but didn't interrupt, he knew he had to let Mickey deal with this on his own. "It isn't that difficult," the disowned Milkovich carried on. "You got trouble? I'll sort it, just tell me who. You don't gotta dangle the brother card, just give me a fucking name."

"Mick-" Iggy mewled.

"That's my name," Mickey deadpanned.

"Will you just listen?" Iggy was pleading again, he stepped forward just a fraction and raised his arms placatingly.

"To what?" Mickey shouted back, suddenly not caring about how much his voice faltered or how much his eyes welled with unshed moisture. "Another fucking rant about how disgusting I am? How I'm not one of you no more?" He gestured between himself and his brothers, both plagued with guilt he was too angry to see. "I get it, OK!" He yelled aggressively, stepping forward himself and forcing Iggy to retreat slightly. "Message fucking received, I I'm not welcome, fine! But that's all you, not me." He was still yelling but he was also tiring and what had started out aggressive was now full of more emotion than he was initially intending to let them see. "I still give a shit," he proclaimed, thrusting his arm forward to point between his two flinching brothers. "Always did... And whether you like it or not you're still fucking family to me," the moisture in his eyes was starting to loosen now and he could feel the threat of a tear escaping down his cheek, he couldn't even be bothered to wipe it away. "So I'll sort what needs sorting and you can go on hating everything about me..."

"Mick-"

"Just do me a fucking favour," Mickey all but pleaded, "Save me from the bullshit OK?" He looked between his brothers again and leaned back into the touch of Ian's hand at the base of his spine. "You don't gotta play nice, don't gotta pretend-"

"Mick!" Joey shouted back.

"Just fucking save it," Mickey roared desperately. "I can't deal with that shit! I get it OK, I'm scum. I'm disgusting and you want me hurting..." All four boys in the room were battling to control their emotions, admittedly Ian was fighting less that the rest, willing as he was to feel the sadness that Mickey had been feeling, knowing that finally there was an end in sight and hoping above hope to be able get Mickey there as quick and painlessly as possible. "Well I..." The ex-con exhaled and looked to the floor, shaking his head slowly and biting back against his lip, "I'm a Milkovich, OK, that's all I've ever been... And I lost it... All... I lost my fucking family."

Iggy moved to step forward again but Joey stopped him in his place, the guilt was devouring them both but he knew they needed to hear this, they'd caused this so they had to let Mickey get it out.

"So congratulations," Mickey resumed, "I'm fucking hurting man... I'm all kinds of fucked up, you got your wish, so please... Just spare me the bullshit because it's enough, alright?"

Mickey couldn't begin to explain how he'd felt that morning, after finally seeing a hint of hope that his brothers cared about him, to have two of them then turn around and rip that hope apart so savagely, without the slightest hint that they were even remotely affected by it. It tore him apart to mean so little to people he loved so much. So to have them then come here and dangle that hope in front of him like a carrot for him to chase around fruitlessly, it filled Mickey with dread and disgust because he knew he would always chase it, always chase them, because they were his brothers. No matter what hate their fuckhead father had drilled into them, they would always be family and he'd die for them, just like he would for Ian and his horde of delinquent siblings now.

Iggy recoiled back into himself, devastated at what he saw before him, the Mickey he'd helped to create. The man who had always been so strong and loyal, so proud, reduced to pleading because of him and his brothers and their pig-headed hero-worship of a father who hadn't done even a fraction as much for them as the exhausted man in front of him had. He wanted to say how sorry he was, how much he knew he'd fucked up and how much he'd give to make it right. He wanted to say a lot of things but for the life of him he didn't know how. Luckily he was spared from thinking too hard about it when Joey finally spoke up, quiet and somewhat somber.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" He asked no one in particular, but the point was obviously being directed at Mickey. "Dad used to drag us round to that dudes house cause he wanted on the sister?"

The question was rhetorical but still the oldest Milkovich boy paused to look up into Mickey's eyes. His brother was looking at him questioningly, obviously wondering what his fucking point was, and all Joey could do was bow his head further and look back to the floor. "He had those snot nosed kids living there," he expanded wistfully, "Weren't even his kids but he was getting money off their psycho mum to let them stay at the house..."

More silence followed the pause for breath. Joey looked up to see all three other men in the room looking straight at him, surprisingly the warmest of the looks was coming from Ian. Unsurprisingly, the coldest was from Mickey.

"Can't remember their fucking names," he continued slowly, "But they were freaky looking fuckers. One had these huge god damn eyes, always bugging outta his weird ass head. The other was podgy as fuck but had the smallest head I've ever seen..." Joey finished his explanations and looked up to Mickey's eyes once again, obviously looking for some sort of acknowledgement this time, his honest eyes pleading for it.

"I remember." Mickey stated bluntly.

In those two words Joey felt his whole resolve crumble, the sea of pent-up dread and guilt washed over him but he finally saw the light on the horizon. Those were the first words that Mickey had uttered without a deeply concentrated on hatred or distance filling up space beneath them. That was the first time he'd spoken without any real need to do so, the first time he'd simply relaxed into some form of conversation that wasn't revolving around aggression. Joey didn't know whether to laugh or cry, or keep babbling on in an attempt to fix things further. The look on Iggy's face as his brother's eyes shot up to look into Mickey's told him that he needed to proceed, for all of their sakes.

"Ummm," he mumbled frustratedly, trying to reign in his racing mind and plummeting emotions long enough to mend at least a small part of this rift. "They, uh..." He shook his head free from all of the mess that was rattling around up there and breathed deeply before looking back up at Mickey. "They hated each other," he stated firmly, allowing a small smile as he remembered what he'd been meaning to say. "I used to see the way they were together and just fucking laugh man, they were both so fucked up and no one gave a shit about them, all they had was each other and they were both too fucking stupid to see it. Instead of having each others backs they just fucking let everything pile up and then one day bug eyes took a gun and blasted the neighbour two in the chest... Fucking porky testified against him and then got half beaten to death by the guy bug eyes owed money to..."

"How the fuck do you know all that?" Iggy asked gruffly, not knowing how that happy family tale was supposed to help, but being quite glad of the temporary distraction.

"I was doing the sister," he responded matter-of-factly.

Mickey scoffed out a snort of laughter before he could suppress it and the sound fueled Joey on. "Well I remember thinking how fucking stupid they were... If the worlds against you then you fucking stick together!" Joey half expected Mickey to look away, to break eye contact and shut down, but much to his relief, the younger man kept his gaze and he took that as incentive to carry on. "That's what we did, right? Mandy was right about that. No one had our backs so we had each others." Mickey did flinch back then, the painful memory of the bond they'd all shared, but he didn't drop his eyes. "I used to look at those two freaky fucking idiots and laugh because we were the scum of the Earth but we were smarter than them... I mean, we were the Milkovich brothers... No one could break us apart."

It was Joey who eventually broke the awkward staring match that the two of them had found themselves involved in. The oldest sibling lowered his head, maybe in shame or regret, maybe in fear. Maybe all of the above.

Finally, after so fucking long of silence and hatred, finally the words were spoken. Louder than he'd intended, but proud and honest all the same, with absolutely no more hesitation, Joey stepped forward and all but yelled, "I'm so fucking sorry Mickey!"

Mickey felt like he was sucker punched in the chest. He slumped backwards and looked to the floor, trying to contain his thoughts and emotions, trying to regain some semblance of control. Ian gripped harder on his lovers back as his own eyes teared up with relief, he couldn't smile, he couldn't speak, he could barely breathe with all the pent-up emotions from the past months finally rushing free from him, and from the man he loved. Mickey braced his arms on his legs and shook his head, a few errant tears streaking down his pale cheeks. He allowed himself to just breathe as the two men in front of him both stood deadly still in a desperate attempt to not push him away.

"Mick...?" Iggy asked quietly, half hoping his brother wouldn't even hear him.

"Why?" Was all the ex-con could mutter. Internally he berated himself for not just jumping at the apology and the opportunity to get his brothers back. He kicked himself for doing anything to make them realise their mistake, for questioning it, but how could he believe in something he didn't understand. They hated him, they had to hate him, it's what they were raised to do, what he'd trained himself for since the moment he discovered he was gay. He didn't need an apology for Christs sake, it wasn't their fault, it was how it had to be.

"Mickey, you're our brother man," Joey's voice all but trembled, not knowing how to say all the things he needed to say, hoping and praying that Mickey would be able to just know.

"Fuck dad!" Iggy shouted from slightly behind Joey and both he and Mickey let out a short, startled laugh, before looking at the other boy in question. "So he hated fags, fuck him, the fucking psycho prick. You're our brother Mickey, I don't care who you fuck, you're still the scariest son of a bitch I know. We fucked up, OK, I get it, we screwed you over... But we're Milkovichs, we're always fucking up, till you or Mandy tell us to sort out shit out... Then we tell you to fuck off until we realise you were fucking right all along and we grow some balls, suck it up, and make things right." Iggy looked straight to Joey for help in explaining what he was so badly trying to convey. Mickey fought back a laugh at just how pathetic his brother looked in that moment, but also how determined.

Joey looked back at Mickey and took over. "Mick, dad was wrong, we get that now, I know it took us way too long to figure it out... But what can I say..." He shrugged apologetically, his eyes still pleading and focused solely on their wayward brother, "We're fucking idiots." He bit his lip and put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "But we're also fucking Milkovichs and we shoulda had your back from the start, like we know you woulda had ours... Listen, man, we're not good at any of this soppy shit but the point is we know we fucked up and we'll do whatever it takes to fix it."

Mickey stared into his brothers eyes, first Joey then Iggy, looking for any sign of a lie. They looked as tired and scared as he was but unlike him, who was crippled with an agonizing uncertainty that he was all too aware could pave the way for a very bad decision, his brothers just looked desperate and determined at the same time. They looked honest and open and real in a way that had Mickey struggling not to hyperventilate, he had no idea what to do.

Iggy shook his head sadly, realising how little they were offering, and how late. He knew they'd pushed Mickey too far away and that they were asking a lot from the other man in return and he suddenly wished they'd brought Mandy along to do all the girly explaining shit she was so good at, well good for a Milkovich anyway.

"You asked what we need..." Iggy tried desperately, the 'you' heavily implied, though not outright said, he scolded himself for that but he was who he was and Mickey knew that as well as he did, he just hoped he'd see through it. "We miss you!"

Mickey stood frozen still, he nodded silently to himself as Joey and Iggy waited, almost patiently, for any sort of response. Ian released his grip on Mickey's back and when the older boy realised the loss of contact and turned round, the red-head offered him an encouraging smile that nearly split his face. Seeing all that he had now reflected in his lovers eyes, Mickey, in that moment, realised everything that was important to him.

He turned to face his increasingly worrying brothers and looked blankly into their eyes. "You're fucking dicks!"

Joey and Iggy both flinched back and stared at Mickey with wide open eyes, both feeling the knots in their stomachs tighten painfully at the potential loss. After a few moments of intense silence Iggy was about to do something stupid like throw himself at Mickey's feet when suddenly the aforementioned ex-con let out a long and easy laugh. His face split in a shit eating grin and Joey had to do a double take before his own face relaxed into a smile. It took a while for Iggy to catch up but soon he was relaxing almost painfully as relief flooded through him and he ran his hands through his hair. "Oh you fucking suck!" He shouted as he threw himself forward to embrace his once lost brother. He desperately tried to stop himself from doing something momentously sappy like closing his eyes at the contact but the feel of having the situation finally resolved, of having his brother by his side again, was somewhat overwhelming.

Mickey clenched his eyes shut as he gripped onto Iggy's shoulders briefly, unable to stop himself from holding on for just a second. Needing this all to be real but not quite knowing how to believe it was yet. His heart was thumping erratically in his chest and his breathing was anything but steady and after a few moments Mickey released the grip he had on his brother and pushed slightly away, turning to Joey who grabbed a hand around the back of his younger brothers neck and bounced their foreheads together briefly. The older boys grip was so firm and determined that Mickey exhaled slowly, relief and hope flaring in his jittering stomach.

As the boys parted all four men in the room were grinning like bloody idiots so Mickey decided to do what any South Sider does when shit gets too happy, he insulted everyone. "You douche-bags couldn't of waited till after I finished work? Matty's probably rung the Impale up and sent it fucking back by now... Amount of time it took for you to get your shit together."

Ian just rolled his eyes and swatted at his lover, Iggy laughed and Joey shrugged unapologetically. Mickey snorted and turned to face Ian. "And you couldn't of given me a fucking heads up before I spouted all the faggy shit about still giving a damn?"

Ian just smiled and shrugged himself and the three Milkovich's in front of him inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to steady their erratic heart beats.

"FUCK!" Iggy shouted, visibly shaking on the spot, "I'm all pumped up... Gotta fucking do something man... Shoot something... Hit something, I dunno, fucking do something!"

Joey nodded, with a slightly anxious laugh. Both their eyes turned to Mickey, silently imploring him to agree.

"I need a fucking drink," the black-haired boy responded lightly, "Then I need to shoot some shit!"

Ian hollered his own agreement and Mickey rolled his eyes, looking to his brothers to make sure the other shoe wasn't about to drop. But Iggy and Joey were both smiling honestly, obviously as relieved and full of adrenaline at the resolve as he was.

"Gimme a sec," Mickey said calmly, walking to the door to the garage and opening it to peer through. "Hey Matty, I'm off, the Impala's been done for hours and the truck can wait till tomorrow. Just do me a favour and lock up Danny's tools for me will ya?"

Matty shouted his agreement then swore at Vince, who was still building up his own side project on Matty's time, ignoring paying customers in the process.

Mickey turned back into the office and shut the garage door behind him, "We going? Or you wanna hang around here all day for another big talk about feelings and shit?"

"Hell no," Joey laughed, "I'm with you man."

"Yeah me too, no more fucking talking!" Iggy added with a laugh of his own, following his brothers lead out onto the street.

"Eh, you coming firecrotch?" Mickey shouted when Ian hesitated for a moment, deciding whether or not this was a moment he shouldn't intrude on.

"Yeah we gotta teach you how to fight Milkovich style, that army boy shit doesn't stick on the streets man," Iggy sing-songed after him.

Ian laughed and followed after the man he loved, and his douche bag brothers he was unsure why it was so easy not to hate.

 

-x-

 

"Hey Mandy, can I come in?"

"Ummm, yeah, sure..." The raven-haired girl responded cautiously, opening the front door and slowly stepping aside.

"I, umm... I heard what happened earlier, with Mick and your brothers," Fiona said softly, raising a hand in a gesture she hoped showed she meant no harm.

"Jesus," Mandy exclaimed, instantly on guard, "I know you're all into the Mickey's family bullshit cause it means a lot to Ian, but you arnt here to defend him are you, give my brothers a piece of your mind in his honour? It will just make things worse Fiona." Mandy turned and stormed through the Milkovich house, thanking whatever god there was that all of her brothers had seemingly left the building.

"No!" Fiona shouted back instantly, "Christ no," she repeated slightly calmer, shaking her head as she moved to follow Mandy through the living room. "No, I'm uhhh, I'm here for you actually."

"Fuck you want with me?" Mandy shot back, still incredibly defensive. "I can't stop 'em, I already tried but they don't care what I say-"

"No, Mandy, that's not why I'm here," Fiona interrupted desperately, fumbling for an explanation. She shook her head clear of all inner ramblings and took a deep breath. "Listen, I get that we haven't always seen eye to eye-"

"Skankovich?" The Milkovich girl reminded her.

Fiona shook her head ashamedly, "Yeahh," she nodded solemnly. "Truth is I didn't think you were good enough OK? You were a Milkovich and I was a bitch about it," the older girl explained honestly. "But you kinda just appeared one day and took my whole family away-"

"What the fuck?" Mandy yelled back incredulously, but Fiona just raised her hands in surrender and exhaled again.

"Jesus Mands, first you were 'with' Ian," she said with air quotes, they both knew she was the red-heads beard, "Then you were practically married to Lip..." Mandy opened her mouth to speak again but Fiona motioned for her to just listen and the younger girl just gritted her teeth and temporarily bit her tongue. "All the while Debbie idolized you, started turning to you instead of me for stuff, ya know stupid shit... Boys, make-up, clothes, stupid shit big sisters are supposed to be for, ya know."

Mandy just nodded her head and the Gallagher woman smiled softly. "I guess I was jealous of that, and I was worried you'd hold Lip back... And now I feel like the biggest ass because it was you who pushed him the most to actually do something with his life so thank you for that, and I guess, no, I am sorry... For the rest of it I mean!" Fiona looked deep into the younger girls eyes and tried to show how sincere she was being. Mandy didn't move to say anything else, she just crossed her arms and looked back at the older woman. "Look, Ian loves you, Liam adores you, Carl thinks your amazing and Debbie wants to be you, Lip will always care for you and Jimmy thinks that anyone who can put up with the Gallaghers for more than a month and still keep coming back deserves a fucking medal."

This had both girls scoffing out a laugh, Mandy briefly looked to her feet before returning her eyes to Fiona's.

"I didn't treat you fairly before but the fact is that you're a part of my family, a huge part of it, in fact, and family stick together so..."

Fiona stopped talking in favour of judging the younger girls reaction so far, both women were looking straight at each other, the younger of the two not giving anything away. Internally her mind was doing flips trying to figure out where this was going, her pulse was racing and she almost wanted to cry at being made to feel worthy of something for a change, instead of being beaten into feeling like dirt on the bottom of a shoe.

"Mandy," Fiona all but whispered, stepping forward slightly, "I know how much your brothers mean to you, and how much this situation sucks. Look, I just wanted you to know that you got a place with us if you ever need to get away from here, ya know."

Mandy's mouth fell open in shock, she furrowed her brows and looked deep into Fiona's eyes, shrugging her shoulders but not uncurling her arms from around her waist.

"What?" She breathed incredulously, "You couldn't stand me being there when I was there with somebody, now me and Lip are over and Ian doesn't live there anymore, now I'm allowed round?"

"I just mean," Fiona explained softly, not offended or discouraged. "If you need to get away from this place for a while then our place is open to you any time. Lip can take Ian's old bed in with the boys so you'll have your own space, and you know there'll be plenty of distractions." She smiled at the younger girl and tried to show her genuine concern, without implying pity or judgement.

Mandy opened and closed her mouth multiple times, deciding what to say back only to rethink it at the last-minute. "Thank you," was what she settled on, coming out as an almost breathless whisper.

Fiona just nodded happily and held up the bags of groceries in her hand, "Gotta get these back to the kids before they start feeding Liam chalk or something." Mandy nodded back awkwardly and Fiona turned on her heel and exited the Milkovich house without any regrets.

Mandy stood glued to the spot for a few moments, trying to figure out what had just happened, trying to make sense of it in her mind. Eventually a small smile cracked through her frown and she couldn't help but let out a relieved and hopeful laugh. It was at that moment that the back door banged open and her degenerate louts of brothers bounded in and Mandy felt all of her energy instantly drain. She didn't hesitate for long though, grabbing a pair of shoes and a coat, probably not her own coat as that was in her bedroom, and ran out of the house and up the road, shouting after Fiona.

When she caught up to the older woman, the two stood awkwardly for all of a second before Mandy huffed out a laugh and Fiona joined in. Once the, finally relaxed if still slightly perplexed, giggling died down Mandy inhaled deeply and reached to take a bag from the Gallagher eldest. "Wanna hand?"

"Yeah, sure, thanks," was the parental guardians jovial reply.


	29. This is Home

"Oh hell no!" Kev shouted, slamming the glass he was drying down on to the counter top and rushing around the side of the bar to intercept the two people who had just entered. "Not today, we don't want your shit here tonight!"

"Whoa," Iggy shouted back, instantly raising his hands in surrender, beside him Joey just rolled his eyes and turned around, shouting a quick "Would you two hurry the fuck up before we get mobbed in your fucking honour?"

The two Milkovich boys stared Kev down as he shrugged his eyebrows and looked between them trying his hardest to be menacing. When they made no move to leave Kermit leaned over from his usual position at the bar and said "You need me to toss you the shotgun Kev?"

Kev rolled his shoulders threateningly, well theatrically at least, and was about to respond when the doors pushed open again and in marched Mickey and Ian, "Alright, hold up there Kojak, it's all good!"

"Fuck took you so long?" Iggy asked quickly, annoyed at how close he'd seemingly come to being lynched.

"We were making out in the alley!" Ian deadpanned and Iggy and Joey both laughed awkwardly before the latter looked straight into Mickey's eyes and whispered "Seriously?"

Mickey just scoffed out a laugh and pushed passed the small group by the door and made his way to the bar. He leaned over the unit and poured himself a drink while Kev looked around obviously bemused.

"Ummm," the bar owner frowned, "Explain?" He looked imploringly between Ian and his convoy of Milkovich's, arms raised in a desperate question.

Ian just smiled brightly and pushed his way past his one time neighbour to sit beside his lover, only trying once to steal a sip of his beer before deciding it wasn't worth the risk of serious injury and instead stealing Kermit's while he was still distracted by the scene at the door.

"Seriously?" Joey clambered, anything but amused by his brother's hasty retreat.

Mickey just turned and grinned at his lost looking brothers and Ian raised Kermit's beer in a silent cheer. Kermit swiveled to look at the pair, and upon being caught with the stolen glass still raised, the red-head just smiled innocently, eyebrows raised and eyes shining, and tilted the glass toward the older man. Kermit furrowed his brow in confusion before shaking it off with a shrug and turning back to the door.

Ian giggled, Mickey smacked him, almost gently, on the back of the head and Iggy and Joey cursed them both.

"Alright, Jesus, we fucked up, we figured it out and then we made shit right, OK?!" Iggy all but screamed, not waiting for an answer before he pushed passed Kev and stomped over to where Mickey and Ian were sat and took a seat next to his brother. Joey just shrugged and raised his shoulders, pursing his lips and squeezing through the gap that Iggy had created, taking his own seat at the bar by the newly formed Gallagher/Milkovich motley crew.

Kev spun on the spot and looked around disbelievingly. He stared at the smiling faces of the young men, the easiness of their interactions, the comfort with which they were sitting so close, sitting so genuinely, so naturally, sitting so openly... At his bar... Drinking his beer... ... Without paying for any of it.

"Hey," he snapped, darting back around to his side of the bar and charging for the boys in question. He tried to grab their drinks but the youngsters were too quick, and no doubt used to not paying for their beers. "That shit ain't on the house..."

Continued muttering and laughing.

"I mean it..."

Still no acknowledgment of the bartenders existence.

"Someones paying for that shit!"

Mickey's eyes shot up and he shouted "Gallagher jar!" at the exact same time his lover jumped from his seat to shout "Milkovich jar!"

Kev rolled his eyes and reached underneath the bar, he pulled up an empty glass container and shook it, proclaiming matter-of-factly that the Milkovich jar was empty. "This is coming out of the Gallagher jar, I can't afford to be funding the alcoholism of the hoodrat youths of this city, I got responsibilities now!"

Ian fell back on to his stool with a frown as Mickey smirked. Iggy questioningly mouthed 'hoodrat' around the boys little semi-circle and Kev continued his rant. Suddenly Ian noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Kermit had turned back around and was searching for his misplaced beer. When the old man looked to the young red-head, he simply offered him a small smile and took a long, exaggerated, and blatant sip from said beverage and slowly turned to back to face a still smirking Mickey.

-x-

Somewhere in the middle of Kev's rant about the problems with the youth of today he'd gone off on a tangent and was now detailing exactly why a head made of blood on top of a mirror was not even real art anyway.

"You tell 'em sweety," Vee smiled as she entered the pub in long determined strides. "Gotta be quick, left my cheque book here earlier, got mum and the kids waiting outside, gotta dash, love you, see you at home!" The feisty woman spoke as she walked straight up to the bar, reached underneath, grabbed her cheque book, stood straight back up and kissed her husband, turning quickly and darting back out of the pub.

"Wait... Wha?... How are the gir... Vee... Hey- what d'ya need the cheque book for anyway?!" Kev shouted after the woman he loved, but there was no response.

Everyone looked on with a smile as Kev raised his arms in the air incredulously. "Women!" he shouted firmly.

"Here here!" Mickey scoffed, this time it was Ian who hit him, considerably softer, on the back of his head and it was Kev who cursed them.

The bartender dropped his arms quickly when Vee suddenly poked her head back around the door.

"Didn't say it!" Kev yelled, but his wife didn't so much as glance at him. She looked between Ian and Mickey, to the boys sitting beside them and back. After a few moments of her inquisitive staring she turned squarely to Mickey and asked firmly, "You good?"

"All good," the ex-con responded just as firmly, raising his glass at the inquiring woman who had become a friend.

Vee visibly relaxed before smiling a warm and sincere smile at the Milkovich thug and his red-headed life partner, because she had no doubt that they were for life. "OK," she sing-songed, "Then welcome to the family boys!" She proclaimed to the other two Milkovich men before darting back out the door.

"Hey..." Kev yelled after her, "VEE?..." His shoulders sank and he took a deep breath before shrugging and shouting a quick, "Love you too!" to the closed-door.

"Bloody head?" Mickey asked loudly, snapping the Gallagher neighbour's attention back to him and distracting him from his mischievous wife and her newly reacquired cheque book.

"No... Head made of blood," the older man corrected before breathing deeply again and riling himself back up and into the argument from before the interruption, in front of him Joey and Iggy visibly deflated with matching groans and frowns, Ian cursed and Mickey laughed at the landlords enthusiasm, albeit misplaced. "Some guy took his own blood for weeks, put it in a cast of his own head then stuck it in a box on top of a fridge and called that shit art!"

All four boys raised an eyebrow at the passionate bartender but it was Kermit that broke the silence with a barely concealed "Jesus..."

Noticing the boys looks of both confusion and concern, Kev just shrugged, "Carol wants her grand kids to be cultured so now we gotta watch the art and history channels when she stops by... Shits boring..."

"You mean that's real?" Iggy shouted with alarm, "Some guy made his head out of blood and called it fucking art?"

"Close enough, yeah," Kev sighed. "The fridge it's on is like a mirror or something, supposedly if you stand the right distance away from it, it looks like the bloody head is your head..."

"Jesus," Kermit muttered again, even more disgustedly.

"Yeah," the bartender agreed.

"How much money he make with that shit?" Mickey laughed.

"Shitloads man, like tens of thousands..."

"Christ man, I could recreate that right here right now," Iggy muttered seriously.

"No one wants to see that shit man," Mickey replied instantly and everyone in the bar had to nod their agreement, Iggy just shrugged and nodded along.

"Man, fuck art!" The ex-con exclaimed, raising a shot glass to the bartender in front of him, (and where the fuck did he get a shot glass from, Ian wandered silently).

"I'll drink to that," Kev responded, instinctively filling the glass before common sense informed him that Mickey had just received another free drink.

 

-x-

 

"Yo, where's Mandy?"

Jamie looked up from his seat on the floor in front of the small living room table, he was rolling a joint whilst Tony fumbled with the television remote in an attempt to find something to watch.

"Huh?" The distracted Milkovich asked dumbly, looking to Iggy and Joey as they walked slowly into the house.

"Mandy..." Joey repeated shortly, "Where is she?"

"Fuck knows, skanks probably gargling some rich kid balls or something," Tony responded casually.

Joey held up an arm to stop Iggy approaching their asshole brother and turned to face Mandy's bedroom door.

"Mandy!" He shouted firmly, opening the door and glancing inside, nothing. He shouted for his sister again, walking towards the bathroom at the end of the hall, also empty. "Mandy!" He yelled again, louder and more severe, heading through the living room towards the kitchen.

"Jesus man," Jamie screamed with annoyance, "She ain't here!"

"Well where she at?" Iggy asked incredulously, moving to stand in front of his piece of shit sibling.

"Fuck should I know?" Was the older boys frustrated response, "Bitch is still pissed at us for this morning," he explained remorselessly, "Stormed outta here without a fucking word!"

"Well she go on her own?" Joey pushed, aggravated with this whole conversation, this whole situation.

"I don't know!" Jamie yelled back, enunciating every word, obviously just as pissed off at this exchange. "Fuck's it matter anyway?"

"Christ..." Joey remarked as he stormed back through the house and out of the front door, followed closely by Iggy.

"Well, where the fuck is she?" Mickey asked from the bottom of the outdoor steps.

"No idea," Joey sighed, "And those two shit heads are less than useless, just said she left cause she was pissed at 'em, don't even know if she went with anyone."

"Fucking wonderful," Mickey snarled. "So she ain't here, ain't answering her phone and she isn't at our place," he turned to look at his thoughtful lover, "If we don't tell her about this shit before Kev or Vee do then she's gonna pitch a fucking fit!"

Ian scoffed at his boyfriend and nodded in agreement. "She's gonna go fucking batshit if she has to find out second-hand, probably convince herself we were trying to keep it from her..."

"Man I just got two of my brothers back, I can't deal with a pissed off Mandy right now..."

"Hold up," Iggy piped up suddenly, interrupting Mickey's groaning with an outstretched arm, "How d'you know she isn't at your place?"

"We passed it on the way here," Ian answered matter-of-factly.

"What?" The sandy-haired boy all but whined back, hurt obvious on his features.

"Yeah man," Mickey said softly, trying to play down the fact that his brothers don't even know where he lives now. "The lights were off and the gate was shut, Mandy's like a herd of Bulls stampeding man, she never shuts the damn gate and she leaves every light on cause she knows it drives me nuts and she doesn't have to pay the fucking meter."

The ex-con spoke with a fond smile and a lightness that he hoped would pass through to his guilty looking siblings.

"Which house?" Iggy all but whispered, "I don't even know... I mean, I never even thought... Jesus Mickey... I don't know where you fucking live..." Iggy voice faltered through the last few words and Mickey wanted to get rid of the guilt from his eyes, he never wanted to see that shit on his brothers faces, not directed at him anyway.

"Then come take a look man," he remarked easily, "Don't be expecting the fucking Ritz of anything though."

"It's a work in progress," Ian smiled, following after Mickey when the older boy turned back down the street in the direction of their shared abode. His lover rolled his eyes as Ian let out a slight giggle but he couldn't help but be grateful to the red-head when he noticed his brothers smiling along with his incessantly upbeat attitude.

 

-x-

 

"Jesus, you can afford this place?"

Ian smiled and inhaled a breath. "So I'm not Franks son, my real dad is Frank's brother, who my nutcase mother had an affair with for a while. Turns out his wife knew she was married to a cheating asshat but forgave him on the proviso that it was never mentioned again... Suffice to say she was not pleased when I turned up on their doorstep saying I think I might be his son. They effectively told me to fuck off, which is cool because I don't need to know the guy, just knowing I'm not Frank's is good enough for me BUT," He inhaled sharply before plowing on, Mickey rolled his eyes with a smile. "It turns out daddy dearest has a conscience after all and wanted to give me something for all the lost years past, present and future. He offered me a shit tonne of money that I kindly told him to shove up his ass, then he offered to buy this house and let me rent it off him for a relatively cheap, fixed rate. An offer I also told him shove where the sun don't shine, but then I removed my head from my ass and realised how a good a deal it was and me and Mick woulda had to save for years to afford something on our own so I took him up on it. Don't turn down getting shit for nothing in the South Side right?"

Iggy's jaw had dropped and Joey nodded his approval, "Damn..." the older boy exhaled, having picked up his jaw and returned his eyes to the house in front of them.

"Want the tour?" The Gallagher boy offered proudly.

"Only thing worth knowing where it is right now is the beer man," Mickey mumbled as he led the way into the house. He walked straight through the living room, dumping his jacket on the sofa as he passed it. "Kitchen," he gestured around the room he was now entering, "Fridge," he yelled, pointing dramatically to the direction on the fridge, "Beer!" He shouted finally, out of site of his brothers and lover now.

Ian rolled his eyes and turned to look at the two men he never thought he'd have in his living room. "You can just dump your coats there," he motioned to the place where Mickey had discarded his and then threw his own jacket down to join it. Iggy and Joey followed suit and then Ian clapped his hands excitedly. "So," he proclaimed, "Tour!"

"This is the living room," Mickey said as he sauntered into the room, handing every one their beers. "Those are the stairs," he deadpanned, pointing to the newly refurbished staircase. "Upstairs are the bedrooms, bathroom and a bunch of closets. You already know where the kitchen is and on the other side of it is a little room too small to be a bedroom but too big to be a closet. We got us a little competition, guess the use, winner gets to decorate the fucking thing, you want in?"

Both visitors laughed at their douchebag brother whilst Ian just waited patiently for his boyfriend to finish his little rant. "So," he said again, "These are the stairs," he grinned, "And if you'll kindly follow me, up the stairs we have some more exciting rooms."

Ian turned to ascend the staircase, followed closely by a snickering Iggy and Joey. Mickey grumbled after gulping his beer he followed after the trio with little to no protest.

-x-

"The bathroom is almost finished now," the red-head explained proudly, "Just need to re-do the tiling, and get the vents sorted, don't think they've been changed or cleaned or even fucking checked in years but Kev's got a friend whose coming to sort it this weekend."

"It nice man, fucking big." Joey commented honestly, pulling the shower curtain back to peer into the bath. Iggy made a beeline for the toilet and pulled the chain.

"Flushes!" He exclaimed happily. "The toilet at our place never fucking flushes!" He beamed.

Mickey snorted out a small but happy laugh and turned to demonstrate the working taps too, needless to say Iggy made a very over dramatic and theatrical 'oh my god' face and Ian just shook his head in mock exasperation.

"Megan's brothers in town for a couple of days, owes me a favour..." Joey stated, nudging passed his now play fighting siblings and talking to the only other person in the house at least pretending to be sensible.

"That's nice," Mickey snorted from his position by the sink, having just put a struggling Iggy into a headlock.

The older boy scoffed at his brother and turned back to the red-head. "He could do the tiling for you guys, he's good and he'll work for free as long as I give him some weed to take back home to sell. Apparently the campus near where he lives is in a constant dry spell of good drugs so he laps that shit up when he comes here and sells it for like double the price back there."

Mickey released his hold on Iggy who tried to retaliate but got his well-aimed punch swatted away embarrassingly easily. "Dude," the tattooed Milkovich said enthusiastically, "That would be awesome. A friend of Mattys was gonna do it but the guys a fucking cowboy I swear to god."

"No problem man, I'll give him a bell tomorrow."

"Thanks!" Ian said from his place in the corner, only just suppressing the urge to do something really childish like dancing, settling instead for clapping his hands and bouncing on the spot with excitement.

"Hey," Iggy piped up suddenly. "You still fucking her? Thought you guys called time?"

"You never bloody listen," Joey responded humorously.

"Oh I'm so fucking sorry that your creepy ass love life ain't on my list of things to obsess about..."

"Whatever man," Joey laughed. "No, I'm not still seeing that crazy bitch, she wanted marriage, kids, the works, like Jesus, ya know... Only been seeing her for a couple of years."

"Shit man," Mickey laughed, really trying to be sympathetic but barely containing himself at the horrified look on his brothers face.

"Hmm," Ian remarked, in a forced kind of casual that had Mickey whipping his head round to the younger man.

"What hmmm?" The older boy demanded.

"Oh nothing," the Gallagher boy protested innocently. After a few seconds of silent glaring Ian finally inhaled slightly and began to mumble in a barely there whisper. "S'just, ya know, we've known each other a while now, been doing this dance for years." Ian pointed between the two of them coyly. "Just thinking out loud, forget I said anything."

"Spit it out Gallagher!" Mickey all but barked, voice barely containing the older boys emotions.

Ian smiled a small smile and shrugged, "Just, ya know, marriage... Kids..."

Mickey tilted his head to the side and bit hard into his bottom lip. Ian continued. "It's nothing," he mumbled again, "I'm just saying, I'm ready to talk about it when you are!"

Mickey's mouth fell open and both of his brothers took a minute step back in anticipation of his reaction. Mickey stared at his lover with panic in his eyes and desperately searched for something to say. A million thought's crossed his mind all at once, he didn't want to get married, like ever, and kids... Mickey couldn't be a fucking father, he could barely look after himself. The only person he gave a shit about looking after was Ian. The thought that Ian wanted all this... And Mickey couldn't give it, not yet anyway... He would do anything for the man he loved but fucking marriage?

All of a sudden Ian's modest grin grew into a shit eating small a mile wide. He wiggled his eyebrows at his panicked partner and shrugged innocently.

"Oh you fucking suck!" Mickey yelled from his place by the sink, he gripped his hands on his knees an leaned down, inhaling deeply as relief washed over him.

Joey burst out laughing at the his younger brother and Iggy couldn't seem to decide between shock, awkwardness or humour. Ian, for his part, was still beaming, feeling incredibly proud of himself and falling ever more in love with the man in front of him still catching his breath.

"So, bedrooms," Ian shouted with a clap of his hands, walking passed the other three men, who was just starting to compose themselves, and back out into the hall. He showed them the master bedroom first. Complete with the mattress from the roof, the one Mickey had stolen and Ian had dragged over.

"You need a bed frame for that?" Iggy asked eagerly.

"We're working on it?" Ian responded with caution.

"Let me guess, you got one you want rid of for a fair price?" Mickey scoffed.

"Top of the range, real wood, cushioned leather headboard... for his pleasure..." Iggy responded, sarcasm drizzled over the last bit, a proper sales pitch which Ian seemed to be lapping up.

"No." Mickey laughed, much to Ian's dismay, the red-head actually pouted and harumphed his disapproval.

"What? Why?"

"What's wrong with it," Mickey asked, giving his brother a look which clearly said 'cut the bullshit'.

"It may not be mine," Iggy acknowledged, "And the previous owner may be dangerously close to figuring out where I'm stashing it," he continued. "And he might be a bit of a psychopath..." He finished.

Mickey just rolled his eyes and Ian prodded him in the ribs, eyeing him seriously as if to say that he sees no problem there.

"Fine," the older boy relents, "We'll take a fucking look at it."

"Great! I got lots of stuff, a new fridge if you need one. A shit load of kitchen shit, like plate racks and other junk... Oh, I got an awesome new, also wooden, tv shelf, a little dented from the move but still well worth a measly $50... I got a computer desk, a fucking sofa, you name it and I got it!"

"OK came down there Nelly, we'll take a look but I ain't paying $50 for shit I could get easier if I just nicked it myself."

"Fair enough!" The younger Milkovich agreed whole-heartedly, whilst Ian just stood next to Mickey and beamed like he'd just won a war that the ex-con didn't even realise he was fighting in.

After showing off the other bedroom and then making their way through the kitchen and explaining all of the things that still needed fixing and what decorating each rooms were still being subjected to at the hands of Debbie and Carl, the four boys finally settled onto the sofa with a fresh beer each. Iggy and Joey offering solutions to any DIY jobs they could help with, or knew someone who could help with. Mickey smiling proud as Ian explained all of the things they'd fixed themselves so far and what order they were planning to do the rest in. Between them they explained all about Debbie's rota and all of the mishaps they've had so far. Ian falling through the outside steps, Mickey putting his foot through one of the new windows. Kev almost falling off the roof and Lip somehow managing to get his hand stuck in the guttering. Fiona almost setting the kitchen on fire because she forgot that the smoke alarms didn't work and so hadn't bothered to check on the sausages she was frying, assuming the alarms would warn her when they were done. And Debbie and Carl? Well every day was an adventure full of various mishaps with those two battling teens constantly trying to outdo each other. After all explanations were given Iggy and Joey both declared that they too should be put on the rota and insisted that they be given more than their fair share of the work because they had missed so much already and Mickey couldn't hold back the warmth he felt at having his family back in his life. Jamie and Tony may still be lost to him but having two of his brothers back, Mandy fighting his corner and all of the Gallagher's calling him one of their own, Kev and Vee being essentially just two more of the Gallagher's, and having Ian at his side, a permanent fixture in his life, well goddamn it, Mickey was happy. Honest to god, pity the rest of the world for not being him kind of happy. And Ian was right there with him.

 

-x-

 

"I'M STAYING HERE TONIGHT!" Debbie yelled as she hurled herself through the door to her brothers new home.

"Whoa," Ian responded, swinging himself up from the sofa and rushing to grab hold of his wayward sister before she could charge up the stairs. "What's going on?"

"Urgh," she harumphed, deflating her tense shoulders and looking at up at the soldier in training. "Nothing," she all but whispered, exasperated.

Ian tenderly rested his hands on her shoulders and lowered his head to look into her eyes, a warm smile gracing his lips. He raised his eyebrows in question and Debbie just exhaled some more before shrugging again.

"It's unfair and unjust to make a teenage girl share a room with a boy maniac and a baby with a penis fetish," she whined sullenly.

Ian just let out a breathy laugh and raised his eyebrows further. Debbie fought her own smile and scoffed at her older brother.

"I'm not sharing with Carl and Liam, Ian, I can't... It's... Icky," they both laughed at this. "So I figured it would be alright to crash here for a few nights, I mean, there are the spare rooms, well one bedroom and the living room, and you did say one of them was for me WHENEVER I felt like visiting..." Debbie put on her best impression of an angelic and grateful young innocent, batting her eyelashes dramatically and cupping her hands together as if to beg.

Ian laughed again and gently shook the young Gallagher. "Why you gotta share with the boys? Frank rented out one of the rooms again?"

"Not Frank, Fiona... And not rented, given away!" She moaned.

"What?" Was all Ian could respond, still smiling.

Debbie let out a small sigh before looking back up at Ian, "I get it, it's good what she did and I'm not even really angry, I just really don't wanna share with two young boys..."

"Deb's..." Ian cut her off briskly, "You already know you're allowed here for however long you want so quit stalling and make with the explanation."

The young girl squealed and hugged her brother between little screams of thank you. Ian let her clap her hands in a not so silent victory before he once again rested his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye, demanding an explanation.

"Alright fine," she laughed, "Fiona apologised to Mandy, brought her home and said she could stay there as long as she wants. Lip and Amanda are staying the night there too so Mandy's taking my room..."

"Hold up," Mickey shot up from the couch, "Explain," he urged.

Debbie rolled her eyes at the idiocy, mixed with the over-dramatics of the male of the species and collected her thoughts. "Fiona has realised she didn't exactly make Mandy feel welcome when her and Lip were doing it. She gets that Mandy's going through some shit, what with the Milkovich civil war and she figured she could use a distraction or at least a neutral place to crash for a while. So she offered our place, Mandy accepted her apology AND her offer, and then everyone expected me to shar-"

"Yeah yeah, I get it," the ex-con interrupted again, waving his hand in front of the hormonal girls face to cut her off, "They expected you to share with two disgusting young boys."

Debbie beamed at her favourite thug and Mickey rolled his eyes before pulling Ian out of the teenagers way so she could go and dump her stuff upstairs. The younger red-head moved to pass her brother and his life partner before realisation dawned on her. She looked over her shoulder from the first step of the staircase and studied the profiles that had been in her peripherals the whole time she had been standing there. Turning around completely she stared hard at the two boys still seated in the living room.

"Now it's your turn to explain," she ordered her brother and his lover.

Ian smiled at his cocky little sister and Mickey scoffed as he fled the scene to get more beer for everyone from the fridge.

Debbie raised her eyebrows at her brother and succeeded in staring him down. "Hmph fine," he sarcastically huffed, mimicking Debbie's earlier pouting, she rolled her eyes and let him continue. "So, they fucked up," he said gesturing to the awkwardly fumbling Milkovich's on the sofa. "They figured it out," he expanded jovially, "And now they've made shit right." He drawled, with a huge grin on his face. Joey glared at him with no real heat and Iggy just continued to look pained at all the sappy, emotional shit that seemed to be filling up his day. "That about right?" The red-head asked them happily.

Joey's lips pinched into a forced smile as he nodded and Iggy just raised his empty beer in acknowledgement, without turning around from where he was staring at the muted TV.

Mickey walked back into the living room as inelegantly as he could manage, "You still just standing there red?" He asked his almost sister-in-law. "You gonna go up and dump that shit or what?"

Debbie looked over at Mickey's brothers again, a mixture of worry and doubt creasing her forehead.

"Hey," Mickey flicked his fingers, dragging her attention back to him, "Go dump it in your room, then you can come back down here and stare all you want." He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, as did Ian, and soon Debbie nodded her agreement and bounded up the stairs.

She came back down not even a minute later, having wasted no time at all, barely even opening the door of the spare room before hurling her stuff inside and immediately running back down the stairs. When she got to the bottom step her brother was sat next to Mickey, so close their thighs and shoulders were pressed together and to her surprise the other Milkovich's weren't showing any signs of disgust or discomfort. Iggy was sat next to Mickey on the large couch and Joey was now sat on the single chair beside it. The TV was still muted and the boys were all leaned forward with cards in their hands, Ian failing miserably to hide his from Mickey and the latter taking full advantage of the flustered red-head. All four of them were laughing and joking around, messing about and shoving each other playfully.

Debbie grinned to herself before propelling her small frame down from the final step and rushing to the last free seat and yelling "What we playing?" Sure she had questions, the obvious hows and whys, but they could wait until after she'd schooled these fools at cards.

 

-x-

 

"What's up?" Fiona asked as Mandy looked curiously at her phone.

"Hmm?" The raven haired girl responded, reluctantly looking away from the device, "Oh nothing," she proclaimed, realising what Fiona had asked. "Just got a text from Mickey."

"Well what d'it say?" The older woman asked casually, wondering why it had caused such a reaction in the younger girl.

"Umm, that he knows I'm here but that he kinda needs to talk to me so could I go over to his place," Mandy explained nonchalantly.

Fiona raised her eyebrows and nodded, "You gonna go?" She asked gently when the young Milkovich made no move to continue.

Mandy turned to Fi and smiled shyly, "I'm kinda beat, gonna just chill out for a bit if that's OK, I'll catch up with him tomorrow."

The question was clear in her tone, she was asking for permission and Fiona was quick to grant it. "Yeah yeah, sure, course, that's fine." The oldest Gallagher smiled and the two women turned back to the terrible late night movie that had not long started.

Within five minutes both were laughing at how ridiculous the film was, both making jokes and picking holes and generally enjoying each others company more than the film itself, and for that reason alone neither suggested that they turn the move off.

 

-x-

 

"I still think it's a nursery!" Iggy laughed the next morning, looking from his seat at the kitchen table to the cupboard/room adjoining the kitchen.

The five of them had all bunked down in the living room watching films. Debbie had fallen asleep in the single chair 10 minutes into the second film of their impromptu movie night and none of them had the heart to wake her so Ian had temporarily dislodged himself from Mickey to get a bunch of blankets from the closet upstairs. Iggy and Joey had both fallen asleep on the floor, the latter having been kicked off of the sofa when Mickey decided the table was not a comfortable foot rest and so his legs required the rest of the couch. Both boys had decided against using the other single seater couch after Ian had proclaimed that it was new, having been pilfered from under the El from a place that may or may not have been a settlement for stray dogs. The brothers had laughed at the story and were fairly confident it was lie, or joke they didn't quite understand the bases of, but when Iggy had been half asleep and Mickey had scratched behind his ear with one of the cushion tags, well his sleep deprived brain had filled in the blanks and added a vicious sounding growl that had both boys deciding the floor was probably safer.

"Ha!" Mickey deadpanned, as he strode over to the toaster and pulled out a the pop tarts that had just sprung up, one for him and one for Ian. "You're a funny fucker."

Ian seemed to think so, he seemed to find the whole situation amusing, failing as he still was to keep the smile off of his face that had been there since first seeing Mickey truly happy after being reunited with his siblings the previous afternoon.

"Maybe it's a midgets bedroom?" Joey offered with a mouth full of breakfast.

"How are we related?" Mickey asked, sitting next to his lover and accepting the coffee the red-head was offering him.

Joey shrugged in response and asked if Mickey had heard back from Mandy yet, he shook his head quickly before tucking into his food and squeezing his boyfriends knee under the table. Ian was anxiously awaiting word from Mandy, as excited about her knowing her brothers had resolved their differences as he was petrified she'd find out from somebody else and storm over there threatening dismemberment for not telling her sooner.

Debbie stood up to put her empty plate in the sink, and on her return journey to the table she plucked the cleaning rota from the fridge.

"So you want on the schedule?" She asked the two boys either side of her.

"Yup," Iggy said boldly, "And don't skimp out, we wanna help as much as everybody else already has."

Debbie beamed at the Milkovich siblings, then looked to Ian who was sat opposite her, he was smiling right back sitting pressed up against the man he loved, paying more attention to his soul mate than he was the food or coffee in front of him. Of course Mickey noticed his boyfriends diverted attention and was happily helping himself to the red-heads share.

Debbies smile soon turned into a full blown smirk though, and she turned to look between the brothers sitting besides her. "OK, so let's start with the most desperate job, Carl may or may not have stuffed something down the toilet, Lip said he got it out but I noticed it drained a bit slow this morning so that needs clearing ASAP."

Iggy's head fell to the table with a loud thump, Joey suddenly regretted the offer and frowned in despair. Debbie sipped her coffee innocently, Ian smiled and Mickey laughed his ass off.


	30. And This is Family

"Seriously? Shopping? They joined at the damn hip now or what?" Mickey asked incredulously. After finishing up with breakfast and agreeing to disagree on the purpose of the small room just off of the kitchen, Mickey and his Gallagher/Milkovich entourage headed over to the Gallagher house to see Mandy. What they found upon entering, though, was Kev and Vee sat in the kitchen, the latter feeding Liam whilst the prior tinkered with the washing machine. "You been replaced Vee?"

"Ha," the new mother snorted gracefully, "You got jokes Milkovich... When people used to say shit about you not being funny, I'd think, nah... That boy... He's real funny."

Mickey just snorted as Ian made his way further into the room. The two boys took off their coats and slung them over the back of a chair and when Debbie squeezed past them she motioned for Iggy and Joey to do the same. The two other Milkovich boys were obviously anxious, out-of-place and slightly tense and as much as she'd hated them the day before, now she just wanted them to relax and let themselves be a part of Mickey's new family.

"Why you need her anyway?" Kev asked, finally pulling himself out of the washing machine in the corner of the room, wiping grease from his hands with a rag that probably started the day as a fully functioning towel, and where the fuck was the grease even coming from.

Mickey just rolled his eyes and gestured to himself and his previously wayward siblings. "Fuck you think?" He responded.

Kev just shrugged and looked away quickly, Vee looked to her husband and then back to the infant in front of her and suddenly Mickey and Ian felt their respective stomachs drop.

"You didn't tell her already did you?"

"And deny everyone the privilege of finding out the way I did?" The older man scoffed back, "Hell no, you guys scared the shit out of me when you walked into the bar, thought I was gonna have a riot on my hands."

Mickey shook his head with a groan, Iggy and Joey just snorted at the taller man and Ian let out a small, but butch thank you very much, chuckle.

"I think it was sweet how you were willing to stand up for Mick," the red-head sing-songed.

"Eh, fuck you, it wasn't sweet," the bar owner retorted, "It was tough and manly!" He stated proudly, "Protecting my, also tough and manly, brother from another, slightly more fucked up, mother, right Mickey?"

Mickey rolled his eyes in an attempt to withhold the smile threatening to spill across his lips. "Yeah, whatever you say man."

Vee smiled at her idiot husband and Ian laughed at his idiot life partner, Debbie just ignored the lot of them in favour of texting whoever from her phone book she thought would be most likely to respond. Iggy and Joey though, stood transfixed. They watched Mickey, how he conversed and fit in with this new family with such a comfortable ease. They saw how fondly the lot of them looked at Mickey and, in turn, how Mickey didn't look like he wanted to beat the crap out of them. In fact, they both noticed, Mickey treated them with a sort of warmth that both brothers silently wondered if the recipients knew what an honour it was to receive. There was a time when Mickey wouldn't have displayed that sort of affection for anyone outside of his siblings.

"So what was with the weirdness before?" Said brother asked after a particularly long exhale, feigning impatience.

"Wha-" Kev was about to retort when Mickey held up his hands to stop him.

"Cut the shit," he interrupted with no venom at all, "What's up?"

Vee smiled again and batted her eyelashes at her favourite ex-con. Kev started up on a rant about brotherhood and special bonds between men and Mickey just glared at the pair of them. Knowing that her husband was no closer to getting to the point Vee turned in her chair with a small laugh, successfully drawing Mickey's attention.

"Well," she all but flirted at the tattooed thug, "I know you were looking for a few extra jobs at the garage, try'na make a few extra bucks..."

"This gonna be a long babble?" Mickey cut off his sometimes infuriating, but always beautiful, ex-neighbour, "Or are you gonna find the point some time soon?"

"Well we think we have a solution that will benefit us all," She carried on, not offended by the raven-haired boys impatience.

"Care to share?" He asked back.

"So we were thinki-"

"I got robbed the other day by some douche-bag with a fucking girls gun and we can't afford to be handing over what little we do make at that dive bar to assholes who don't respect the rules enough to know you don't rob from your own neighbourhood. So we were thinking at first that I could just ask to borrow a gun from you, but the fact is the whole thing would go a lot smoother if you just came along with the gun ya know. I mean, despite the obvious height deficiency, it turns out that you're just plain scarier than me... Like on every level." Kev ranted, his face seemingly caught in an endless battle between nonchalance and desperation. "I think people just see me as a giant teddy bear, ya know, but you, on the other hand, are like a little pissed off Rottweiler..." He added after a moment's silence that was doing nothing to ease his awkwardness. "Did I go too far?" He added after another few moments.

Vee rolled her eyes but turned to look at Mickey expectantly and both her and Kev waited for any sort of response. Ian was smiling from ear to ear, an expression that was mirrored by the two new Milkovich siblings and even Debbie had raised her eyes from her phone in order to stare at Mickey.

After a few more moments of intense staring between the kitchens inhabitants, Mickey let out an honest and loud laugh. "You need a fucking bodyguard?"

Kev looked aghast as Vee nodded dramatically. the pub landlord held a hand to his shattered heart but after a few moments of more staring, he reluctantly nodded his agreement as well.

Mickey laughed out loud as Kev rolled his eyes and waved his hands in a 'can we move this along please' gesture, nodding his head exasperatedly. Vee and Ian were beaming at the interaction between their respective life partners and the other brothers Milkovich had visibly relaxed to the point of joining in the gentle ribbing.

Wiping imaginary tears of laughter from his eyes Mickey finally suppressed his rautious cackling long enough to demand beer as well as money in payment for his services. Kev attempted to haggle but Mickey refused to budge so ultimately it was Vee who stood firm and shouted deal before the boys pissing contest escalated to actually pissing. She shook a smirking Mickey's hand and patted a pouting Kev's shoulder before sitting back down in front of the still hungry toddler.

 

-x-

 

"You doing OK there kiddo?" Lip asked as he power-marched next to his determined looking brother.

"Hmm?" The distracted boy turned his head to face the older boy, "Oh, yeah fine!" Then without any further time wasted on explaining he continued his almost sprint to the Gallagher house.

"Yeah, sure thing, that's why you ran outta the house this morning and have been route-marching my ass round the whole neighbourhood all day."

"It's not even lunch time yet..." The youngster protested vehemently.

"And yet we've already covered half of the South Side."

"Whatever, I didn't ask you to come with me," Carl muttered defensively without breaking stride.

Lip reached out his hand and grabbed his young sibling by the shoulder, turning him slowly and looking straight into his eyes. "You looked freaked out this morning, I was worried..."

"I'm fine," he assured, desperately trying to get away from his brothers grip.

"Look, this'll go a lot quicker if you just tell me whats going on." He squeezed Carl's shoulder affectionately and tried to reassure him with his eyes.

"Hmph," the younger boy slouched, folding his arms around his chest tightly and glaring at Lip with as menacing a snarl as he could muster on only a couple of hours sleep. "Fine," he relented tiredly, "Bonnie took off and I need to find Ian and Mickey so they can tell me what the hell to do." the tiredness in his eyes gave way to sadness and Lip instantly dropped his hand, turning himself to stand in front of his little brother and kneel down.

"Who's Bonnie?" He asked as calmly as possible.

Carl's expression turned pleading before he reattached his indifferent expression and returned his eyes to a glare. "My girlfriend," he stated bluntly, "Or so I thought."

"What? Since when?" The oldest Gallagher boy tried to keep the hurt from his features but he couldn't help the sting at not having known about his little brother having a girlfriend who obviously meant enough to him to cause this sort of emotional turmoil.

"I dunno, a couple of months I guess..." Carl mumbled back awkwardly, brushing himself off from Lip's close proximity and resuming his trek to the Gallagher house, hoping to find who he was looking for there. He had marched to the new Gallagher/Milkovich home as soon as he'd awoken to find he still had no word from his wayward girlfriend. He had gone via the Alibi in case they were there, and afterwards gone through all the spots he knew the two of them went, for work or training or just for fun, and so far nothing. He just hoped they had gone back to their old home in search of Mandy, he remembers her saying something about Mickey wanting to speak to her last night and he's certain Debbie would have told them where the Milkovich girl was staying when she stormed over there in a fit of rage at having to share her room.

Lip stood and watched his siblings retreating back for a moment, breathing to himself and processing where exactly he had been when his little brother had suddenly decided to grow up. He smiled quickly at Carl's first relationship, then proceeded to run to catch up to the young man before him.

"So, how come I didn't know about Bonnie?" He asked teasingly, hoping to settle the atmosphere surrounding them.

"Umm, because I didn't tell you..." Carl retorted sarcastically.

"Ouch," Lip remarked back, raising a hand to his heart and flinching dramatically.

Carl rolled his eyes, but slowed his pace slightly. "It's no big deal," he scoffed.

"That why you're so unaffected by it now huh?" His older brother snarked, aiming for playful but not quite cutting out the snippiness completely.

"Whatever," was his aggravated response, "I just need to find Ian or Mickey," he blurted out without remorse.

For a moment Lip looked lost, desperate almost, he reached out to touch Carl's shoulder again and raised his arms in surrender when the youngster turned to glare at him once more. "Well," he all but begged, "If you just tell me whats up, maybe I can help?"

"Ha," Carl snorted loudly, "No, you're OK!"

"OK, ouch again!" Lip replied, the hurt real this time.

The two stared at each other pointlessly for a moment before their silent rivalry was interrupted by a third Gallagher sibling.

"Hey guys," Fiona yelled chirpily as she waved her arm to get their attention. Walking quickly over to her brothers with Mandy trailing behind. Lip and Carl shot her a matching pair of frowns that had the eldest Gallagher immediately drop her own smile. She looked between her brothers with worry clear on her features. "OK, whats going on?"

"Apparently I'm not good enough for young Don Juan over here..." Lip stated bluntly, his anger only subsiding when he remembered the awkwardness of his own first crush.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Fiona asked cautiously.

Carl just snorted and shook his head, re-folding his arms tightly across his puffed out chest. He could be as stubborn as the best of them so Lip shrugged his shoulders and simple stated the facts. "Carl's got a girlfriend."

"What? Since when?" Their matriarch blurted back. She watches those kids like a hawk, she would know if Carl was with someone, could you even have girlfriends at that age?

"It's complicated," was all the petulant young man would offer in response.

"Well how so?" Fiona prodded further, her young brothers answer only serving to make him more nervous.

"He wants to talk to Ian or Mickey," Lip answered again when it became clear that Carl was sticking to his silence.

"Why?" The brunette asked incredulously.

"Argh!" Carl shouted back in frustration, "Just because OK, get off my ass!"

"Hey wait a minute Mr," his guardian, for all intents and purposes yelled back defensively, her expression softened though, when she saw the slightly lost look in the young boys eyes. "Maybe we can help?" She offered warmly.

"Look, its complicat-"

"You're a kid, how complicated can it be?" She interrupted, growing more concerned the more evasive Carl became.

"It's complicated," he started again, shooting his big sister a look that told her not to interrupt again if she wanted any sort of explanation. "And I don't feel like explaining it all out, Ian and Mickey already know whats going on so I'm just gonna go find them OK?"

"No, well, hold up a minute..." Fi protested again as Carl started to walk away, she too grabbed his shoulder softly and turned the small boy around. "They knew about you having a girlfriend?"

"Her names Bonnie," he offered reluctantly, really not wanting to give much away but knowing he had to give his sister something. "And yeah, they knew."

"Well why didn't we know?" It was Fiona's turn to be hurt now and she looked sadly between Carl and Lip, hoping for an answer at the same time as she didn't want to hear it. Petrified as she was that this meant she'd failed Carl somehow along the way and he didn't trust her now.

"Because I didn't tell you!" Was his abrasive reply.

"Yes, I get that Carl! What I'm asking is why you'd go to them and not to us?" Her tone was a mix of hurt and angry now, but Carl's stubbornness didn't waver.

"Well duh," he stated simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"The hell does that mean?" Lip asked incredulously.

"I need relationship advice," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. When neither Lip nor Fiona looked like they understood he just grunted in aggravation before continuing simply. "They're Ian and Mickey!"

"Yeah so?" Fiona asked, still not getting it. Behind her Mandy just smirked knowingly.

"Well no offense but look at your guys track records, you suck at relationships and stuff."

"Well that's... I mean... A bit unfair," the eldest Gallagher argued hopelessly.

"Yeah..." Lip murmured, crossing his own arms now, "He's got a point, your love life is kind of a train wreck."

"Yeah?" She scoffed back angrily, "Well yours ain't that pretty either."

"They both suck!" Carl shouted, bringing both of their attention back to him. "Ian and Mickey should suck, but they don't. And I like Bonnie, I mean I really like her, and I want what Ian and mickey have, with her."

"Huh," was the only thing Lip could say as Carl turned and slowly began to head back to the Gallagher house.

"He's got a point ya know?" Mandy piped up after a moment of stunned silence. "I mean just look at Mickey," she scoffed, "And Ian, with his track record... I mean they should be the biggest shit show of the lot of us." Fiona nodded as Lip finally turned away from Carl's retreating back to look at the Milkovich girl. "But somehow," she beamed, "They are a fully functioning fucking couple and we're all-"

"Hey now," Fiona interrupted determinedly, "I've got Jimmy."

"Oh yeah, Jimmy/Jack/Steve? Mr dependable himself, hows that trust building going?" Lip remarked boldly.

"Oh because you and Amanda are so fucking perfect?" His big sister countered. "How many times in the last week have I had to pretend you weren't home when she called?"

The two siblings had a sort of mexican stand-off, glare-down. Both refusing to blink or relent until a chuckle from Mandy broke them out of their fierce but silent debate. "Whatever," Lip muttered before turning on his heel and running after his brother with a yell of "Eh, wait up!"

Fiona turned her incredulous stare to the raven-haired girl beside her, who hadn't lost her own amused smile, which only caused Fi to glare harder.

"What," Mandy said brazenly, "I already know I'm destined to be a lonely spinster with a bunch of cats." This brought up a burst of laughter from Fiona and Mandy's expression turned smug as she added wryly, "I accept it, just gonna damn well make sure I have a lot of fun along the way."

Fiona smiled at her new-found friend for a moment before shrugging and nodding her head, "Damn right," she said with a small smirk of her own.

"So, wanna go after 'em or you wanna carry on to the shops?" Mandy asked softly.

"Oh, I think I've had enough of that particular conversation for a while, all I need now is for Debbie to go to Liam for make-up tips and then I'm all set."

Both women laughed at that before Mandy broke the moment with a shout of "To the shops!"

 

-x-

 

"OK, can you at least tell me her surname?" Lip pleaded, finding the humour now in making his little brother sweat.

"Why?" Came Carl's fed up response.

"Whats the big deal about her name? She's not another lost he/she Milkovich is she?" Lip snarked, laughing as he bounded up the front steps of the Gallagher house after his brother.

Carl huffed out an extended breath as he pushed open the front door and pointedly ignored his big brothers question. He tried to slam the door after him but Lip caught it with a laugh and raised his arms in mock surrender, both boys dumping their coats on the sofa as Lip continued to harass his young sibling as Carl trudged through the living room in a vain attempt to get away.

Several sets of eyes shot to the two new arrivals as they entered the kitchen, but both were too engrossed in either ignoring or harassing the other to notice. Lip continued to laugh as he shoved Carl playfully against the fridge, the young ruffian growled at his brother as he reached into said fridge to get out some juice, which he proceeded to drink out of the carton.

"Ew, gross!" Debbie yelled from her seat at the table.

Carl turned to face his disgruntled sister and was just about to yell back at her when his eyes took in the other occupants of the room, Lip's gaze following shortly after.

"The fuck they doing here?" Lip all but shouted as Carl dived into the cutlery drawer and pulled out the largest knife he could find.

"Whooah," Kev yelled from beside Liam's high chair.

Lip restrained a knife wielding Carl to the best of his ability, all the while conscious of having been pissing the youngster off for the last couple of hours so he probably had no qualms with stabbing him if he didn't let go soon.

"Jesus," Iggy exhaled tiredly, "How many god damn body guards has Mickey got?"

Joey stood from his chair and raised his arms placatingly, "We come in peace," he added, not particularly helping the situation.

"Yeah and you'll leave in pieces," Carl growled back, taking a moment to smile and give himself a mental pat on the back for the quick retort.

"You do realise that my brother doesn't need protecting right?" Iggy asked seriously, again not exactly helping.

"Oh he your brother again now is he?" Lip replied aggressively, still holding Carl back.

"Jesus, put the damn knife down Rambo," Mickey scoffed as he descended the stairs. He looked around the room to see Debbie once again absorbed in her phone, Veronica now tickling a giggling Liam still in the high chair and Kev stood behind the high chair trying to look innocent to what was happening in front of him. Iggy was sat down next to Debbie resting his arms on the table and propping up his head in his hands, he looked fed up but accepting of a situation that was, in all honesty his own fault. Joey was stood beside him looking back at Mickey with an expression that just screamed 'seriously', eyebrows raised and lips perched thinly.

Mickey just smirked at the incredulous Milkovich before turning back to Carl and Lip, the older of the two having let the younger go now that he had, albeit reluctantly, lowered the knife.

"Wanna explain?" Lip asked.

"They saved Ian's ass from a beating yesterday, they made shit right," the ex-con stated calmly. He knew leading with the whole saving Ian thing would instantly pacify the raging Gallagher siblings in front of him, he also knew he wouldn't have to say anything more for them both to understand it was all done now, all in the past. Well Lip would understand, Carl would just go along with it because Mickey was telling him too. That and the fact he's now got two more thugs to teach him how to misbehave.

"So that's it?" Lip asked, much calmer himself now.

"That's it." Mickey said back.

"You OK with Mickey banging my brother?" The oldest Gallagher boy asked directly to the two Milkovich boys at the table.

Mickey rolled his eyes at the obvious test to gauge their reactions, but neither of his brothers flinched. Iggy just shrugged his shoulders and Joey sat back down with a quick, "So long as you don't try to bang me, ya know, follow in your brothers footsteps an' all." Lip just scoffed at the response, but was, for all intents and purposes, convinced.

Carl looked between his siblings and the Milkovich's, between Mickey and the Balls, he stared between every one in the room before he remembered why he had originally come back home and decided he didn't care about the hows and whys. "Where's Ian?" He asked all but desperately.

"Upstairs, going through your room for any shit he left behind," Debbie answered, trying to push her little brothers buttons but Carl didn't give a shit about the invasion of privacy at the moment.

"I need to talk to you guys," he all but whispered to Mickey, who arched his eyebrows in question and nodded towards the stairs. Carl turned to walk up to his bedroom, but stopped at the bottom of the steps in order to turn around and offer a final glare to the two new members of his extended family. "Best not fuck up again," he threatened boldly, trying out his best Mickey impression, puffing up his shoulders to look as intimidating as possible. Iggy and Joey both nodded in agreement and Carl's expression softened. "Either of you guys got a taser?" He asked chirpily.

When both boys shook their head no the young thug in the making just shrugged his shoulders with a muttered "Shame," then turned and resumed his mission up the stairs.

 

-x-

 

"Hey Carl, whats up?" Ian asked as he straightened up, folding a jumper as he rose from his old bed.

"Bonnie's gone," he replied instantly, not wanting to beat around the brush, desperate for a resolve.

"Shit man, she say anything before she took off?" Mickey asked from behind him, leaning on the door frame with his arms folded across his chest.

"No, and I don't get it, I mean we were good..." Carl was looking between Ian and Mickey with a lost, almost pleading look in his eyes and it broke his brother's heart that he couldn't take that pain away. He knew what it was like to lose a love, even if it was just his first. Ian was just lucky his had come back.

"Good don't mean shit," Mickey responded bluntly and Carl turned his broken expression to the ex-con. "No, now, don't fucking look at me like that OK," he rushed to explain, furrowing his brows and waving his arms at the youngster in front of him. "If she's anything like as fucked up as most of the people who live in this craphole of a town then 'good' is just another reason to fucking leave." Now it was Mickey who looked at Ian pleadingly, silently begging the other man to help explain what he was trying to say.

Ian smiled warmly at his lover, understanding exactly what he meant, he reached his hand out to his young sibling and recaptured his attention. "What Mickey is trying to say," he explained softly, lowering his eyes to meet Carl's desperate gaze, "Is that people who live like we do, when something good happens we run the fuck away because we assume its gonna badly anyway. I mean weren't you a little scared of falling for her?"

"I mean sure but, well she was worth it..." He mumbled back dejectedly.

"Oh Jesus," Mickey piped up again, "Don't start with the crying OK," he pushed into the room and stood next to Ian, in front of Carl. "Can't stand it when Gallaghers cry, you guys have got the fucking worst crying faces I swear to god." Mickey slumped back onto the bed and looked up at Carl honestly. "Listen kid, you think I don't love your douche-bag brother?" He asked, gesturing to the red-head currently rolling his eyes beside him.

"I know you do," Carl replied confusedly.

"Yeah, well I did back then too," he threw his arms behind him, pointing to a metaphorical time before the acceptance, back when Mickey's life trajectory still pointed to being shot, going to juvie and marrying skanks he didn't even know. "Didn't stop me leaving his ass when it all got too fucking real."

Ian smiled as he sank onto the bed next to Mickey, neither him or Carl said a word, knowing the silence would wear at Mickey until he carried on.

"Look, I couldn't deal with whatever this shit was," he continued, pointing between himself and his lover, "And I sure as shit didn't ask for it, couldn't understand how it was all so fucking simple for him..." He turned to look into Ian's warm gaze, before scoffing and turning back to Carl. "You guys, you're fucking scary as shit man, your intimidating with all your openly caring crap. You get shat on all the time, you and your brother, Fi and Debs are the same. But you keep getting back up, dusting yourself off and jumping back in feet first and not flinching away for a fucking second and it's insane. When it comes to all this emotional crap you're the bravest fuckers I know, but people like me... Like Bonnie probably... We take a hell of a lot longer to get with the program."

Carl nodded quietly, looking down to the floor while he contemplated what he'd heard. "You think she'll come back?" He whispered, half hoping no one would hear.

"Maybe," Mickey offered, "Jesus it took me years to sort my shit out, I lost Ian over and over before I realised I couldn't do it again. She might come running back in a few weeks, just to leave again in a few more. You might have to fight for this girl for fucking years if you think she's worth it-"

"She is!" Carl shouted firmly, finally raising his head to look at Mickey and Ian again.

"But maybe she wont," Ian added almost sympathetically, "Maybe she ran now and she'll never come back, but that's on her. Mickey was right, if that happens you'll brush yourself off and then you'll meet someone else eventually and you'll jump straight in again and you'll repeat the same cycle until you find someone who will stick around and you'll be as happy as shit that all the others fell through."

"Could you have done that if Mickey hadn't come back?" The young trouble-maker asked, wide-eyed and open, staring at his brother.

"Course he would have," Mickey replied when Ian hesitated.

"Carl," Ian finally found his words again, "We love deep," he stated proudly. "That's why Fiona's stuck by Jimmy through all his shit, why Lip was so dedicated to Karen fucking Jackson. It's why Debbie will hang on to the idea Matty for as long as possible and why you feel like the worlds ending with Bonnie gone. We're stubborn and we don't let shit go, especially when we love someone... That's why Mickey was it for me since the beginning, that's why no matter how many times he ran, or how hard he pushed... It would never have been too far or too much... I would always be there when he came back. I love him and I got so fucking lucky because he loved me back, enough to be brave to take on his whole fucking family for me. Maybe Bonnie will do the same, or maybe she'll be a coward and stay away. Whatever happens with her though, you will be fine. You will always love deep and you will always be stubborn, but you'll be OK. It'll hurt like hell but you got a great family behind you and you'll do whatever you have to to move on, you wont even realise you're doing it until it's already done."

Carl nodded solemnly for a few moments before he raised his head with a small but real smile. He looked between his two idols and bounced on the balls of his feet. "I get it," he said, not happily but getting there. "I hope she comes back..." He continued boldly, "But if not, I mean, I could always just go after Phoebe until I get over it."

"Who the hell's Phoebe?" Mickey asked incredulously.

"Some girl in my class, keeps asking me to be lab partners and stuff" he replied innocently, "Little Hank said she's easy but I think he just likes her, ya know."

Ian laughed out loud at this, he could tell that Carl was forcing some of the bubbliness but he knew his little brother would bounce back and so he was happy to take that as a win.

"Classy," Mickey scoffed with a laugh of his own and Carl just shrugged before turning to leave the room.

"Don't take any of my shit," the youngest boy ordered as he left, "And remember you promised I could keep your hunting knife..." His voice trailed off as he disappeared down the hallway and Ian and Mickey were just left to look between themselves in humorous disbelief. Suddenly Carl's head popped back around the door to ask "Hey do you think your brothers will teach me how to hot wire a police car? Little Hank said Joey did it once when he was on the run from gangsters."

Mickey nodded his head with a smile and answered, "Sure, if you pay him enough, but that shit wasn't Joey, it was Iggy. And it wasn't gangsters, it was teachers."

"Cool," the youngster replied, nodding like he understood the plight. "Thanks," he muttered quickly before running back towards the stairs.

Ian laughed loudly when his brother was out of earshot, and Mickey just rolled his eyes. "Man, you are a seriously fucked up family," the older boy muttered.

"Says the guy whose family tried to kidnap a dwarf," Ian scoffed back.

The pair snickered to themselves for a while, still sat close on the bed, before Ian's face dropped and he turned to his partner.

"I don't think I would have ya know," he said softly.

"What are you talking about Gallagher?"

"Gotten over you."

Mickey looked at him then, his own smile dropping as he looked into the red-heads honest eyes.

"You would have," the ex-con reaffirmed.

"No, I mean, maybe I would have found some one else to pass the time with or whatever, but it would have always been you. And if you had ever come back I would have dropped whoever they were the second you showed interest, you know that right?"

Mickey looked deep into the bright green eyes of the man he loved and nodded slowly to himself. He raised his thumb to his lips and chewed on his nail before he slowly raised his hands and cupped the back of Ian's neck. He pulled the taller boy in so their foreheads touched and whispered "I'd always have come back," as firmly as he could.

 

-x-

 

"Hey guys," Fiona boomed as she shut the Gallagher front door behind her.

"Hey Fi," Debbie replied, briefly glancing up from where she was sat at the small table with a book in front of her which Fiona assumed was meant to be homework, but was now just a collection of doodles with Debbie Baker, or Debbie + Matty encased in a heart, being the most prominent.

"Where is every one?" she asked back, readjusting her grip on the bags of groceries she was carrying.

"Kitchen," was Debbie's only response.

"No, please, don't help," Fiona scoffed as she struggled through the living room.

"Woooah," Vee exclaimed as Fiona dumped the shopping unceremoniously on the table.

"Need a hand?" Kev asked sarcastically from behind her.

Fiona just scoffed and shook her head, she turned to start unpacking the bags when she noticed who was sat at her kitchen table.

"The hell are they doing here?" She yelled ferociously. Once again, logic seemed to fly out of the window when the presence of the two Milkovich boys was first noted. Logic would, for instance, dictate that the fact they were sat casually surrounded by Gallagher's and their neighbours probably meant some sort of resolve had been reached. But like the rest of her family before her, Fi was on instant alert. Iggy and Joey deflated slightly, a 'here we go again' expression settled on both of their faces.

"Calm down girl, we're all friends here," Vee shouted back with a smile, before either boy could speak up to defend themselves.

She was still sat with a deck of cards in front of her, dealing them out to the two Milkovich brothers, Lip and Carl, who were all sat around the table. Kev was still tinkering with the washing machine, but was now trying to explain to Liam what he was doing, for his part Liam was just blowing burp bubbles and pulling Kev's hair, or shirt, or trousers... Whatever he could reach really.

"Where are Ian and Mickey?" The oldest Gallagher asked, a mix of anger and confusion.

"Upstairs," Veronica winked.

"Yeah, Carl went upstairs for that little heart to heart, he came down, cd player went on... Now my guess is they are showing themselves all the ways they love each other." Lip laughed at Carl's initial look of confusion, as it morphed into understanding, then interest, then mischief. He reached out a hand to stop his younger brother from leaving the table as both Iggy and Joey laughed at the mini terror.

Fiona rolled her eyes at the randy pair before turning to the two new comers and trying to gauge their reaction to what was going on upstairs.

"Oh, we don't care?" Iggy announced when he noticed the older woman's glare.

"Just happy they're happy and all the shit," Joey added placatingly.

Vee rolled her eyes before banging on the table. "OK, three card brag, you get three cards and you can't change 'em. If you go in blind then you only put in half the stake. Three of a kind is high, but good luck with getting that, then there's the running flush, then a straight, and a flush and a pair. Last is the highest card you got. Anyone cheats, good on ya, anyone caught coughs up more than they can afford. Any questions?"

All players just shook their heads and all but Iggy picked up their cards to look what they had.

"Just one," Fiona asked, coming to stand behind her best friend. "You playing for actual money?" She asked incredulously, staring pointedly at Carl, who just shrugged and smiled brightly before resuming his study of his cards.

Vee looked up at her friend and had the decency to look apologetic before she returned her gaze to the deck on the table and shouted excitedly for the game to begin.

"It's alright Fi," Lip quipped, "I got this!"

Fiona just snorted and went about unpacking the shopping. "No seriously, no one help."

"Help with what?" Ian asked brightly as he descended the stairs, still righting his shirt.

"Hey," Fiona smiled, "You guys OK? You look good."

"You saw us yesterday," Mickey scoffed, entering the kitchen after Ian, his shirt already on straight but his hair a mess.

"Yeah but apparently a lots happened since then..." She gestured to the unexpected guests in her kitchen then looked to the two boys now helping unload the shopping bags Vee had removed from the table and deposited onto the floor. "Wanna explain?"

"First, where the fucks my sister?"

"She helped me carry the groceries to the door, then she went off to your place, you text her last night asking her to go round?"

"Jesus Christ," Mickey muttered, dragging a hand down his face. Fiona just shrugged mock apologetically then turned to Ian and raised her eyebrows, still pointing to the two neighborhood thugs sat playing cards with her family.

Ian shrugged and smiled, "They came to their senses."

Fiona, though, didn't look convinced, so Ian explained the events of yesterday as the three continued to unload the bags.

-x-

"Huh," Fi remarked after the explanation had finished, "And the other two?"

"Still assholes!" Joey yelled from the table, obviously in a bad mood, probably because Carl seemed to be wiping the floor with all of them at cards. Lip looked more aggravated than any of them as they all had to hand over another stack of coins to the smug looking child.

Fiona nodded sadly at Mickey, who in turn just shrugged and peeked over Carl's shoulder. He smirked when he saw the youngsters appalling hand, then smiled proudly when he saw the literal trick up his sleeve.

"They gonna pull that shit again?" Fiona asked resolutely, pointing directly at Iggy and Joe.

"No way man," Iggy proclaimed honestly. "Mickey's our brother, end of fucking story."

The oldest Gallagher sibling exhaled a long breath then smiled warmly at Mickey, knowing how much that must mean to him. "Well OK then," she said happily. "So I guess I can see why you couldn't just tell Mandy over the phone," she added, grabbing some juice out of the fridge. She rolled her eyes when she realised the lid wasn't put on properly, and again when she realised no cup had been put into the washing, or was lying around the kitchen, which meant a cup hadn't been used when the juice had been drunk. "Carl," she growled under her breath. The young boy briefly looked up and smiled brightly at her, before ducking his head just as quickly to avoid any and all repercussions.

Mickey exhaled loudly and groaned into his hands. "No one tells her she was the last to know," he all but shouted, no venom but something akin to desperation in his voice. "You understand me, bitch will be unbearable."

Iggy and Joey darted their heads up to nod enthusiastically, knowing they were gonna catch enough shit from their sister as it was. Ian nodded his own agreement as Carl shouted a quick "Whatever," and used every one elses distraction as an opportunity to swap his cards around. Kev banged his head trying to remove it from the washing machine and with a slight curse he too promised not to say a word, Vee said their secret was safe with her, while Lip just shrugged and made a joke about not wanting to be the messenger in that scenario, with Mandy as the shooter. Fiona agreed as well and Debbie yelled her acknowledgement from the other room.

 

-x-

 

Mandy headed into the Alibi, it was on the way to her brothers house and she knew he was just as likely to be there anyway. She looked around quickly but couldn't see anyone of interest, not even Kev was there, so she turned on her heel to leave. Just as she was about to reach the door, it swung open from the other side and in stormed one of the regulars, Kermit, she thinks his name is.

"You seen my brother?" She asked just in case.

"Which one?" The old drunk replied.

"Mickey," she huffed, with an exaggerated release of breath.

"Not since yesterday," the older man replied chirpily, blissfully unaware of Mandy's dark mood. She'd been wandering what the hell her brother had wanted last night, why he couldn't just come to see her if he knew where she was, now she was traipsing round the South Side looking for him, because he hadn't thought to just tell her over the phone. "Hey," Kermit piped up again, just as the young Milkovich was about to scoff and walk away.

Mandy turned and looked over her shoulder as Kermit perched himself on his usual bar stool. She raised her eyebrows at him in question.

"Congratulations and all," he slurred, so he'd been drinking at home then, not that Mandy cared as she was much more confused with what the hell he was going on about. She turned her body fully to face him then raised her eyebrows ever higher in question. Still unaware of the minefield he was stumbling head first into, Kermit proceeded to explain. "Must be good to have the band back together."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mandy asked frustratedly.

"Your brothers..." He explained slowly, "Burying the hatchet and everything..."

"What!?" The raven-haired girl yelled loudly, ready to storm out of the bar and march to her brothers house. However, the young woman composed herself and turned again to face the oblivious old drunk propping up the bar.

She smiled almost maniacally at him, before strutting over to sit next to him, using the assets that God gave her to make sure he either didn't notice the trap or simply didn't care. "Explain...?" She gushed, sickly sweet. Kermit never stood a chance.


	31. She Knows!

Mandy was speed walking down the road, muttering obscenities and insults to herself, a clear picture of her brothers in her head, holding a little family reunion without even deeming to let her know, much less involve her. And to tell Kev and Vee first, and a bunch of drunks at the Alibi, before their little sister. Needless to say, the words 'assholes', 'douchebags' and 'selfish, shithead, wankers,' featured prominently in her inner rantings. Kermit, as the messenger of such treachery, was lucky he got just the one beer spilled down him... And the punch wasn't her fault, Mandy simply overbalanced and Kermit just happened to be caught in the crossfire... Yep, simple accident.

"Pricks," Mandy muttered aloud, "Look what they fucking made me do," she mumbled, toying with her scuffed and bony knuckled. "Fucking drunks with hard fucking heads," her rant continued, "Useless fucking species, fucking miserable, ungrateful, stupid, p-"

Her rambling was interrupted by a sudden, and anything but subtle, wolf whistle.

Mandy stopped dead, ready to overbalance all over some other jerk-offs face as she turned around slowly. Looking around her though, her angered became frustration when she couldn't find any culprit. The whistle came again and Mandy growled as she turned fully around to investigate, frustration transforming back to anger quite rapidly.

"How you doin'?" Came the squeaky voiced perps apparent Joey Tribbiani impression.

Mandy squinted and turned slightly towards the voice before raising her head, and subsequently her eyebrows, at the intruder of her inner monologue.

"Hey there," He said, every bit as creepy and just as unappealing as the whistle and the previous come on.

"Give it up kid, I'm not in the mood," she replied shortly, not in the right frame of mind to humour the boy. She turned to storm off when she heard the boy scramble and jump down from the wall he had been perched on.

"Maybe I could make you feel better," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, regardless of the fact that Mandy hadn't turned back around to face him yet.

Mandy sighed heavily and slumped her shoulders in defeat before turning to the little terrorizer behind her. "Listen," she forced calmly, "I'm not in the mood to play nice Hank so let it drop, seriously, not a good time."

Unfazed, little Hank continued his slow swagger towards the older woman. "Tell me what you need?" He leered.

Mandy had to suppress a laugh at the sheer madness of the situation, the audacity of the kid. She was also weirdly proud of the youngsters gusto.

"You got balls kid," she smirked, "But it ain't happening, and I got places to be so-"

"I shoulda brought flowers right?" Hank interrupted again, sagging slightly in defeat but still maintaining his pride.

Mandy scoffed but didn't make to leave so Hank took that as a win at least. The Milkovich girl folded her arms across her chest and looked down at the would be Lothario with a sympathetic smirk, if such a thing exists. "Flowers, chocolates, all that bullshit," she listed seriously. "Won't get you shit from a South Side girl," she stated matter-of-factly. "Get her fed - Properly," she added, raising her hand to stop Hank in his tracks when he raised his head to protest that chocolate was food. "Get her drunk," she continued, "Show her a good time, then she'll show you one." She stared at the youngster for a few moments to make sure he took in her words. "That lesson's free kid, next ones gonna cost you and believe me, you can't afford it, so do us both a favour and -"

"I got money," he all but shouted.

Mandy rolled her eyes at his missing of the point, then turned to look at the young boy, she raised her eyebrows at him as he beamed back, like he was suddenly in with a shot.

"At least, I will have soon," he corrected apologetically but still determined.

Mandy groaned at the continued torture that was this conversation, "Really?" She grumbled with a complete lack of interest.

"Yup, soon as I meet up with Carl and he hands over my share." Hank beamed proudly as Mandy shook her head, imagining what in hell the two boys could have gotten themselves into this time.

"Share of what? You two idiots bumble your way through a robbery or something?" She asked cautiously.

"Nah, poker," he smiled back. "Yeah, he fleeced your brothers and Lip for everything they had."

"He beat Mickey at poker?" She asked incredulously, that was impossible, she'd seen her brother bluff and cheat his way to poker victory against some very big and very scary men in her time.

"Nah, the other ones," he replied off-handedly, "And I taught him everything he knows so I'm getting my fair share of the winnings," he continued proudly, unaware of Mandy's sudden murderous shift of mood. "So then I can treat you like a woman of your beauty deserves to be spoiled," he drawled with a wiggle of his eyebrows."Wait..." he muttered, going over his last sentence with a mental face-palm when he realised it didn't come out nearly as seductive, or even coherent, as he'd imagined.

Mandy just growled, having ignored everything after the first comment. "The other ones?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Yeah," Hank smiled, immediately bouncing back from the previous seduction attempt mishap. "So congratulations I guess, must feel pretty good to have your brothers talking again."

Without another word Mandy clenched her fists and tensed her shoulders. She turned without so much as looking at the small boy in front of her and stormed off with a renewed anger and widened vocabulary of swear words and harsh names.

 

-x-

 

Not 10 minutes later, Mandy was leaving her brothers new house, having discovered it was empty and a complete waste of her fucking time ever having gone there. She was infuriated, enraged, infumed, irate, incensed... and... Just really fucking pissed off. So Kev and Vee were first to be told. Lip and Carl knew too, as did Little Hank, it seemed Mandy was quite far down the list of people her brothers and her best friend deemed fit to tell of this new family changing development. As she was on her way to the Gallagher house, her next port of call, the angry Milkovich stopped in at the Kash'N'Grab, half to get herself some smokes and half to make sure they hadn't stopped by there to tell their old boss the good news before thinking to let Mandy in on the secret. As she was paying, and after subtly dropping her brothers into conversation to gauge a very tired looking Linda's response, the door to the store breezed open and Jimmy/Jack/Steve (as she couldn't stop herself from calling him, even in her own head) strolled in.

"Oh hey Mandy," he said casually.

"Alright?" She said back, failing miserably to sound friendly and keep the scorn out of her voice. Fuck it, she was in no mood for small talk.

"Can't complain," he answered distractedly, maneuvering bags in one hand and grabbing a basket with the other. "Just picking some things up for Fiona," he mumbled conversationally.

Mandy grunted in response as Linda counted out her change.

"Yeah, just love the grocery shopping," Jimmy mumbled sarcastically, rolling his eyes dramatically at Mandy, also seemingly uncaring that the younger girl wasn't even looking at him.

"Uhuh," she griped back, putting her change into her pocket and tearing open the cigarette packet as she turned around.

"You can't smoke in here," Linda chastised quickly, raising to her feet to point at the wayward teenager.

"I'm fucking leaving," Mandy sniped back.

"So I'll see you later," Jimmy shouted in farewell.

Mandy shrugged almost viciously as she hurled open the door.

"Yup," Jimmy muttered to himself. "Another happy family celebration dinner."

Mandy stopped in her tracks, the door hitting her softly as it tried to close again. The lighter was half way from her face, newly lit fag firmly in place between her lips, when she'd heard Jimmy's rambling and alarm bells had sounded. 'Surely fucking not', she thought to herself.

"Celebration?" She asked severely.

"Yeah," Jimmy piped up from behind a shelf of goods.

"No smoking," Linda yelled again, ready to walk around the counter in confrontation.

"Jesus!" Mandy shouted back, throwing the lit cigarette out of the door and stepping back into the shop to let the door close properly behind her. She turned her glare back to Jimmy and raised her eyebrows in question.

"What?" He asked confusedly. "You really think Fi would let any opportunity for a dinner party pass her by?"

Mandy just re-clenched her fits and inhaled deeply.

"Yeah, I know, disaster written all over it right?" He added chirpily. "And now we got a couple more Milkovich's to add to the fun and games, because that doesn't just spell trouble." Mandy growled again and Jimmy's head snapped up. "No offence," he said quickly, mistaking the reason behind Mandy's very frosty reaction.

Mandy shook her head disbelievingly before composing herself and turning back to the door. "Hey, yeah, congratulations and everything," Jimmy said loudly, waving an arm in the air to get the attention of a girl already standing with her back facing him. "Must be nice to have your brothers on good terms again huh?"

Mandy resisted the urge to scream, exhaled loudly, then stormed out of the shop without saying a thing, she slammed the door behind her and began her march to the Gallagher house, where apparently Kev, Vee, Carl, Lip and now Fiona, all knew her family business before anyone saw fit to involve her in the new development. She didn't even know about the fucking meal!

 

-x-

 

"Don't slam that fucking door?" Linda shouted to the already departed Milkovich. "Argg," she growled, "Always with the door slamming."

The overworked shop owner turned to face a bemused Jimmy, who was still looking at the spot Mandy had just been occupying and was suddenly overcome by a bad feeling.

"What was that about anyway?" Linda asked him accusingly. She raised her eyes and just glared until the car thief broke himself out of his trance and turned to face her.

"Beats me," he protested, still struggling with the feeling he'd just done something that was gonna get him into a lot of trouble later. A feeling he had with surprising regularity since hooking up with Fiona.

'Until later then', he thought to himself, then shrugged and resumed completing the task at hand.

 

-x-

 

Unfortunately Mandy only made it a few steps from the store before she bumped into someone else.

"Shit, watch where you're going, these are fucking Prada," the young girl babbled as Mandy tried very hard not to punch the brat. Ironically she really had overbalanced this time but she wouldn't need that excuse.

"Like fuck they are," Mandy snarked, brushing herself off and moving to walk around the jailbait wannabe.

Hollie looked up from checking her shoes for scuffs, "Shit," she mumbled again although with less anger this time and more fear having recognized the voice and finally realising who she'd bumped into. "Sorry," she all but pleaded, "I didn't see you."

"Whatever," the older girl scoffed, silently proud of herself for making people flinch like that. Yep, she was a Milkovich alright.

"Umm," Hollie blanched, reaching out tentatively to grab Mandy's arm and immediately letting go when the raven-haired girl shot her a warning glare. "So... Umm... We good?" She finally asked.

"Bitch, you ain't even on my radar." Mandy also applauded herself for finally being able to use that phrase, she'd seen it in a film once and had been itching to try it out, it felt good. But then maybe that also had something to do with the pent-up anger she was carrying and the adrenaline running through her veins at the thought of what she was gonna do to her douche-bag brothers when she finally caught up to them.

Hollie smiled weakly and moved to the side to let Mandy passed and the older girl didn't hesitate to start moving again.

"Wait," the blond bimbo called just as Mandy had started to pick up her pace. "You going to Debbie's place?"

Mandy stopped and turned angrily, "Trying to," she growled aggressively.

"Sorry," Hollie muttered again, "Just... Can you just tell her I left my phone in some dudes car, but I'll just catch her tomorrow at Ellie's."

"Will do," Mandy hissed, now desperate to just get to the god damn house before any one else runs into her.

"So, wait, umm sorry, again..." Hollie spluttered, reaching out to the other girl again but wisely stopping short of actually touching her. "Just, congratulations I guess."

Mandy snapped her attention back to the young whore-in-training. 'No fucking way' she thought desperately, 'not Debbie too'.

"Umm, Debbie told me about last night..." She rushed to explain when Mandy just stared at her incredulously.

When Mandy's eyebrows just furrowed further and she still made no move to comment or walk away Hollie swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. "About staying at Ian and Mickey's place, hanging with a couple of your brothers," the younger girls only memory of the other Milkovich siblings were from Mandy's party thing and she personally couldn't see why anyone would want to be anywhere near them for any prolonged amount of time but she wasn't about to say that to Mandy. "So I guess they made up, or whatever. It must be pretty rad to have them back in the family." She smiled, trying for friendly but not really making it past awkward.

"Last night..." Mandy growled, not a question but Hollie nodded yes anyway. Debbie had known since last night and Mandy had to find out from a creepy drunk in a dive bar.

For what felt like the hundredth time that day Mandy once again stormed away without comment, leaving a confused and unsettled person staring after her.

 

-x-

 

Ian and Mickey were sat on the Gallagher couch, fighting over a magazine neither of them wanted to read. Ian was practically sat on the ex-cons lap but was still somehow losing the struggle. Carl was upstairs tidying his room, Fiona's orders, which just meant he was upstairs plotting a new misdeed, carving the bed post with Ian's old army knife, practicing using his throwing stars or just generally avoiding all things cleaning. It was worryingly quiet up there, Fiona noted, as she slaved away in the kitchen with a bottle of wine already opened on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Kev had gone for a walk with Debbie to get Liam off to sleep and Vee, who was helping relieve the household of the excess wine, had just darted to the toilet. Lip was out back smoking a blunt in the van, with Iggy and Joey promptly joining him after Fiona had again hinted at needing help. Mickey got out of it because he threatened to stop fixing shit for free if he had to do the housework as well, and Ian, of course, needed to keep his boyfriend entertained or he'd just cause more trouble and probably distract Carl from pretending to clean his room.

"Ow, no fucking biting!" Ian laughed just as the front door flew open and Mandy stormed in.

Ian and Mickey jumped to their feet as Mandy stood in the doorway looking at them sickly sweetly.

"Umm, hey Mands, whats up?" Ian asked innocently.

Mickey looked at his sister and her veneer of calm, he inhaled deeply and raised his hand to Ian's back. "Don't bother, she knows." He said solemly, knowing how this was gonna go down.

The mask dropped off of the angry girl and a snarl curled her lips. "Seriously?" She spat angrily, "The last to fucking know?"

"Hey bitch, I asked to you come round last night, you were too busy bonding with head Gallagher out there, that aint my fault." Mickey shot back, he knew that the mood Mandy was in it was no good playing nice and sucking up, she'd devour anyone who did that.

"And you couldn't come here because?" She replied immediately, her raised voice drawing a small crowd as Carl sat excitedly at the top of the stairs and Fi and Vee unsubtly shifted in the kitchen, the latter having apparently hurried out of the toilet at the first sign of Mandy's arrival, foregoing even flushing the chain.

"Because I made a dumb comment 'bout our new house and Ig and Joey felt like shit for not knowing about it so I took 'em round to give 'em a tour so we could stop with all the apology bullshit and just go back to being fucking brothers." Oh yeah, Mickey was not above emotional blackmail and using that shit to get Mandy to calm down.

Mandy's expression did soften and Ian inhaled hopefully for a moment before the Milkovich girl's anger bounced back with a vengeance.

"And before that you had time for a few drinks down at the Alibi?" She yelled ferociously.

Ian exhaled dramatically with furrowed brows. "Ooo, she's got you there Mick."

Mickey thumped the red-head gently with a loud scoff, not needing to do any more because Mandy's death glare that was now aimed at the younger man did enough. "This shit is on you too, best fucking friend my ass!"

"Mands-" Ian started, having dropped his shoulders and looked softly into the wild girls eyes.

"And today?" She raged further, "Instead of coming to find me today you were too busy having tickle fights on the couch?"

A howl of laughter erupted from the kitchen, followed by two sets of quiet "Sorry's". Mickey's eyebrows furrowed and he muttered "Fucking tickle fights," incredulously as Ian was torn between laughing at his boyfriends expression or crying at his best friends.

"Mands-" He tried again.

"NO, and a fucking party I didn't even know about...?" The question was clear behind the anger.

"Hey," Fiona piped up defensively from the kitchen, poking her upper body around the door frame. "I had to wait to tell you about that until these two genius' told you about the reason we were celebrating in the first place."

"Thanks Fi," Ian yelled shortly.

Mandy turned her glare back to the two boys in front of her, just daring either of them to explain. "And the reason you couldn't come find me today?"

"Why the fuck you think we're here in the first place. Deb's told us where you were last night so this morning we come over bright and fucking early to tell you what happened and you've gone on a god damn shopping trip with Mother Teresa in there." Mickey stated matter-of-factly.

"And when she got back? I'm assuming she told you where I'd gone?"

"Yeah but we figured once you got to our place and realised we weren't there, you'd come back over here like a normal fucking person, so instead of heading out in search of your skanky ass and then just keeping missing each other we waited here for you to get back. Didn't realise you'd stop to chat with the whole of the South Side first, who the fuck told you anyway?" The older Milkovich responded.

"Who the fuck didn't?" She retorted, "Like I said, seems I'm the last to fucking know. Kermit, well the whole god damn Alibi, Jimmy/Jack/Steve, Hank, that fucking troll Hollie..." She raised her eyebrows for dramatic effect as if to say 'you want me to continue?' Naturally she wasn't intending to say anything more, having already exhausted her list, but she also had no intention of letting the stupid pair in front of her know that.

"You didn't go to the garage then?" Mickey teased, Ian thumped him a little less gently.

"Matty knows?" The raven-haired girl yelled incredulously.

The kitchen door opened and in fell three very merry young men. Lip, Iggy and Joey were giggling together about some bullshit that wouldn't have been funny to any of the others even if they could make out the words, but naturally it was the most side splitting thing any of them had heard. Fiona hissed for them to shut up as they moved obliviously toward the living room, so Fiona reached out and grabbed her brothers arm to halt his progress. She pointed into the other room and Lip realised why just as Iggy and Joey finally looked up into the furious eyes of their little sister, who was stood up straight with tense shoulders and her hands on her hips.

"Oh shit," Iggy muttered, wishing he'd said no to that last beer and blunt.

"Shit is right," Mandy confirmed, glaring daggers at the two boys.

"So Mandy," Joey shouted excitedly, "Good news-"

"Don't you fucking dare!" She growled back, pointing a finger firmly at her desperately mumbling sibling.

"In their defense," Lip started, appearing in the doorway with his arms up in surrender. He was silenced though when Mandy turned her glare to him and raised a silencing hand to stop whatever he was about to say.

"Amanda?" She asked scornfully, "She text congratulating me on my big family reunion."

Ian glared at his brother as Lip visibly panicked, "She has your number?" He asked desperately.

"Gave it to her," came the raven-haired girls blunt response. "We're buddies now," she snarked.

"Shit," Lip muttered wishing someone else would say something to distract Mandy so he could slink back into hiding.

"That how you found out?" He asked apologetically.

Mandy's glare only softened slightly as she explained that her new friend had only just text her before she stormed into the house, so no, she hadn't found out from Amanda, she'd found out earlier, but that she still didn't appreciate Amanda knowing before her.

"Well she only just text you right? So I'm guessing Lip only just text her," Mickey shrugged, looking to Lip for confirmation, who nodded quickly. "So technically she didn't find out before you."

Iggy and Joey shot a pleading look to their brother, silently begging him not to rock the boat, but Mickey just stared into his sisters eyes. She held his gaze for multiple moments before turning back to the other two Milkovich boys, who just lowered their shoulders and looked apologetically at their furious sister, before focusing their eyes to the ground and waiting for the next wave. Ian was looking at Mandy softly, waiting patiently for the anger to subside and the relief and happiness to emerge. Mickey was looking less apologetic, but somehow more anxious. What he needed was for Mandy to get OK with this because he had no idea how to fix it, he'd tried to reach her but he'd been so carried away with having brothers again that he can admit he was a bit slack. But he couldn't lose her now, not even temporarily. Eventually Mandy raised her hands to her head, she took a series of deep breaths as she looked between the four quiet boys surrounded her, before slowly exhaling and moving to speak.

"You two are assholes," she said, pointing firmly to Iggy and Joey, "But you're also fucking idiots so you have to be forgiven."

Iggy smiled cockily, choosing to ignore the insult in favour of the get out of jail free card. Joey shook his head but ultimately decided to play along so Mandy turned to Ian and Mickey.

"You," she continued, reaching a finger out to the red-head, "Can also be an idiot, but you're not an asshole." She proclaimed seriously, "You shoulda known better," she affirmed, "But you are pretty so you're also forgiven."

Ian beamed that shit eating grin and stood up a little straighter.

"You," Mandy all but whispered, now looking solely at Mickey. There was a long pause as Mandy figured out all the things she wanted to say to her brother, she looked deep into his eyes to try and pin down the emotions there and she searched her own inner ramblings to finally figure out what words to use. In the end she inhaled deeply with a tear threatening to escape her fluttering eyelids.

"Congratulations," she exhaled, darting forward and throwing herself into the strong mans arms. She let tears escape as the relief melted through her. The happiness she felt at having her family, albeit partly, reunited was overwhelming for her but she knew it must be so much more for him. She felt the air knocked out of her at having the three of them stood in one room and smiling warmly, at seeing her once close siblings reforming that Milkovich bond, it was all she knew she wanted in life, to have her family as close as she could keep them and Mickey felt that more than anyone. She knew he must have been trying to figure it all out, fighting with himself over whether it was too good to be true and how desperate he must be to keep it. So Mandy tried to force every ounce of hope she had in her soul, into that one hug and show Mickey that he had this now and it was his for keeps.

He squeezed her back immediately and he lifted his little sister off of the ground, swinging her around and smiling into her neck.

"I fucking love you Mick," she whispered for only him to hear. Her response was him holding her ever tighter and laughing warmly next to her ear. He promised he'd never let her down or keep her out, he promised she would always matter and she believed him.

Vee and Fiona whistled, whooped and clapped from the kitchen, then shouted up to Carl that he better be in his room, footsteps sounded at the top of the stairs and Lip snorted out a laugh as he walked through the living room to sit on the chair nearest the television with a beer.

Eventually Mickey put his sister down and she exhaled quickly to compose herself and rid her face of tears. She smiled at her best friend and turned to her other brothers. They moved forward to hug her and she embraced them both in turn before pushing away and slapping them both round the face.

"Fuck was that for?" Iggy whined as Fiona and Vee shot straight back to their vantage point in the kitchen. Carl mumbled a very audible "Crap," as he returned to the top step.

"Thought you said we were forgiven?" Joey cursed, "You know, stupid assholes and everything?"

"That was for not telling me straight away. That..." She said, pointing to there pinkening cheeks, "Was for taking so fucking long to figure shit out."

"OK, we get it," Iggy muttered, rubbing his cheek.

"No," Mandy pointed out, standing with her hands back on her hips, "But you ever pull that shit again and you will!" She promised.

"Jesus, you have any idea how many times we've heard that since yesterday?" Joey mumbled.

"Yup," Mandy smiled, thinking about the family Mickey had made for himself, "I gotta pretty good idea."

Just then the front door opened and in walked Kev and Debbie with a still awake, and still hyper Liam. Noticing that Mickey was currently fighting Ian again, this time over the remote that Lip was looking for, and Carl was not around to break stuff with, Liam looked away disappointedly and searched for a new figure to lavish attention on him.

Mandy watched as Liam looked around the room inquisitively. Finally he spotted someone worthwhile and waltzed straight up to Iggy, holding up his arms to be picked up. Mandy stared in disbelief as her brother immediately bent down to pick up the toddler and in turn the youngest Gallagher laughed and latched onto to older boys hair.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Mandy blanched, Liam didn't react like that to anyone upon first meeting, "Even fucking Liam knew before me?" She huffed.

Mickey rolled his eyes as Ian gritted his teeth, mouth forming an O shape and shoulders shrugging innocently before the ex-con took advantage of the red-heads distraction and grabbed the remote from him happily, naturally, this drew Ian's attention back and so the fight continued. Without anyone else to divert his sister Joey looked straight back to the floor in anticipation of another attack and Iggy just shrugged apologetically, desperately battling Liam for control of his neck hair.

"Oh hey Mands," Debbie squeaked awkwardly, "Sooo," she fumbled, "Congr-"

"Don't fucking say it," the older girl laughed incredulously.

 

-x-

 

"I'm not fucking going Mandy..." Joey protested for the umpteenth time. All of the Milkovich siblings were sat on the steps sharing a joint with Ian, Lip, Kev and Jimmy, after a successful, so at the same time slightly disappointingly quiet, family dinner. Kev had started up a conversation about hobbies, trying to rope as many people as possible into going skydiving with him, an item on his newly formed bucket list that he was determined to cross off before he lost his nerve. Lip agreed, Mickey asked if he could push them out the plane, Ian said he'd do it if Mickey did, secretly hoping the older man said no because as fun as it sounded it was also expensive and they had shit to pay for now. Jimmy said he'd ask Fiona and Iggy and Joey said they'd rather wait at the bottom. Mandy just snorted and said she was busy that day, whatever day it was.

This conversation led to a similar topic initiated by Jimmy, as a distraction from the others teasing him for being pussy whipped. He mentioned in passing that there was a concert nearby in a couple of weeks that he was trying to surprise Fiona with tickets too. The band sucked as far as the Milkovichs were concerned but whilst checking his phone for prices Lip stumbled on a couple of other bands playing the area in the not too distant future.

Needless to say when the words System, Down, A, and Of were mentioned, not in that order of course, Mandy had flipped and demanded they all go. Ian and Mickey reluctantly couldn't because Ian didn't wanna pay that sort of money and Mickey couldn't be asked to deal with that amount of people. Lip had something planned with Amanda he was now desperately trying to think of a way to get out of, System doing a one night in Chicago reunion concert, that beats whatever his girlfriend had planned any day. Kev's got responsibilities now, what with the kids and really just wants to get back to arranging the damn sky dive and Jimmy doesn't want anyone to mention anything to Fiona in case she checks online and figures out the band he wants to take her too are playing.

So now the impatient Milkovich had run out of options and that meant it was up to either Iggy or Joey to go with her because she is not a loser and she will not be made to go alone.

Iggy maintains he has a date that night, two months from now, yeah right, and Joey just flat-out said no.

"One of you assholes is coming with me, or both of you are, I don't care either way but you fucking owe me."

"Owe you?" Iggy whined, "For what?"

"For months of trauma and unhappiness while you got your shit together!" She yelled back, pointing towards Mickey, who didn't seem fazed to be being used as a bargaining chip.

"What?" Joey scoffed.

"I fucking told you, I said he was still the same, but you had to fight us on it. Had to figure it out for your-fucking-selves so we had months of you being little bitches and when you finally do figure it out you don't even bother to tell me. No, I gotta find out from a drunk, a little kid, mr pussy whipped," she gestured to Jimmy who just rolled his eyes and drank his beer, "A whore and a fucking baby!"

"Jesus Mandy, you ever gonna let that go?"

"After everything you put Mickey through?" She asked, below the belt but hey it was working. Iggy was weakening and Joey snapped his mouth shut and looked to the floor. "You ever seen his kicked puppy look? Cause I fucking have..."

"Hey fuck you," Mickey blanched, defending his manly image, "I handled that shit like a Milkovich!"

"Yeah," she responded quickly, "By taking it all out on sweet and innocent little Mandy."

"Ha!" Mickey laughed out loud, "Sweet? Maybe if someone dumped a truck load of sugar of your head bitch, and innocent? You came out of the fucking womb plotting and scheming."

"Whatever, point is, they made you suffer because they were douchebags. You suffered, so I suffered, my best friend suffered... All because of those two ass-"

"Jesus Mandy we get it!" Iggy sighed. Lip was smirking into his beer and Kev was watching with great anticipation, him and Jimmy having placed bets on who broke first.

"If you'd just have listened to me in the first place," Mandy continued, unperturbed. "None of this woulda happened and you woulda known about the house months ago so you wouldn't be on toilet cleaning duty right now. I wouldn't be stealing poor Debbie's room because I'm too pissed off to deal with our shit stain brothers, and Mickey wouldn't have nearly scalped that guy who said he was better off away from you retards anyway."

Iggy and Joey's eyes shot to their shrugging brother. "What?" the ex-con said defensively. "The guy was a tool."

"He was a cop," Mandy dug deeper.

Iggy's eyes widened in surprise and Joey choked on his beer.

"A cop who is also a tool..." Mickey remarked sarcastically. "Huh?" He laughed.

"That was not funny," Ian laughed next to him. Remembering having to pull Mickey off a petrified Tony Markovich after he dared to suggest Mickey should just forget his homophobic brothers.

"Listen Mands," Iggy attempted softly.

"No you listen, I fucking tol-"

"No more with the I told you so's, we get it OK, we fucked up and we gotta lot of making up to do. I'll go to the fucking concert OK just give it a rest for a while yeah?" Joey pleaded.

Jimmy whooped as Kev growled and handed over the money. Mandy beamed but her eyes made no promises. "Thing is," she muttered coyly, "I'm kinda broke..."

"No no," Joey added dramatically. "It's on me." The sarcasm was only just contained by the relief at having the subject temporarily dropped.

Mandy howled victoriously before throwing herself to her feet and dancing back into the house announcing that she had to tell Amanda who she was seeing live.

"You know there'll be more right?" Mickey asked cockily.

Joey just groaned and drained his beer, while Iggy nodded resolutely.

"Bet ya wish you'd just stayed away..." Lip laughed smugly, knocking Iggy with his shoulder.

Ian glared at his brother, but the Milkovich boys just snorted. "Nah," Joey said seriously, knowing Mandy was right to be drawing this out, knowing how badly they had messed up and understanding why Lip felt the need to test their intentions. "We're not going anywhere," his eyes were fixed on Mickey as he spoke. The ex-con's smirk dropped when he saw the look on his brothers face and he nodded his head in understanding, before looking over to Iggy and doing the same. All three siblings exhaled and resumed their drinking. Ian beamed at the easy interaction as his own brother just snorted and rose to his feet, stubbing out the used joint and turning back into the house. Kev and Jimmy followed quickly, then Iggy complained about the cold and also went inside. Joey finally stood up himself after a few extra moments, he smiled to his brother, small but earnest, then walked into the house.

"I'm sorry Tony and Jamie are still assholes." Ian stated bluntly the second the door was shut.

Mickey spluttered out a laugh and smiled at his lover, "You seriously gonna lead with that?"

Ian smiled back, "What you want me to say? What lovely weather we're having tonight Mick, wanna grab a blanket and watch the stars?"

The two boys smiled at each other for a few moments before Mickey leaned in real close and whispered into his partners mouth.

"There's a blanket in the van."

Mickey pulled away before Ian could fully close the gap between their lips, he jumped to his feet and started walking backwards away from the steps, eyebrows raised and tongue wetting the corner of his lip. Ian spluttered to his feet and laughed as he didn't even try to hide the desperate way he followed after the man he loved.

 

-x-

 

"They ever gonna get their shit together?" Vee asked seriously, staring at the youngest Milkovich brother now squished between Debbie and Carl on the floor in front of the couch. Liam was sat on his lap happily colouring in the table.

Iggy turned to face the Gallagher neighbour with a look of regret that had no place on the face of a man who hadn't had any control over how he was raised, or how his brothers continued to behave.

"Doubt it," Joey answered for him. "Hates easy to drill into you, harder to get out."

"Wow," Lip scoffed from beside Fiona on the sofa. "Deep, man."

Joey flipped him off as Iggy snorted and Vee smiled for all of a second before looking back to Joey. "Anything we can do?"

Mandy sighed as she shook her head. "Short of bashing their heads together until all the shit Terry taught 'em is gone...?" She remarked.

"Will that work?" Carl asked naïvely, and some what excitedly, from the floor.

"No kid," Iggy answered consolingly.

"Come on guys," Kev piped up chirpily after a few minutes of icy silence. "Mickey's gonna be fine." He stated boldly, "He's got us."

Vee smiled and Fiona nodded, Lip drank to that while Jimmy saluted and Debbie and Carl beamed in agreement. Mandy rolled her eyes but smiled all the same and her brothers fought back a thank you as they took long drinks from their own beers.

"M'ckey..." Liam gurgled in broken English, not stopping his doodling for even a moment. Everyone in the room looked at the oblivious toddler and when Iggy laughed and started tickling him, muttering an encouraging "You got it kid," in his ear, everyone else followed suit and started cheering and cooing.

 

-x-

 

"So what next?" Ian asked, panting next to his spent lover.

"Ready to go again Firecrotch?" Mickey scoffed incredulously.

Ian snorted and shook his head. "I mean," he stated back, turning onto his side and getting as close to the other boy as physically possible. "What next? Bigger picture Mick," he smiled.

Mickey just raised his eyebrows in question and handed his cigarette over to the red-head.

Ian shrugged and inhaled the tobacco, speaking again as he released the smoke. "Well, we got stable jobs, we got the house, we got half your brothers back, so what next?"

Mickey smirked and turned his head to inhale the smoke Ian released. "Can't get enough of me can you Gallagher?" He flirted playfully.

"That's not news," the younger man laughed back. Ian closed the gap and kissed the shorter boy deeply, smoke escaping between their parted lips. Finally they pulled apart, Ian's face split into a blissed out smile.

Mickey snorted and reclaimed his cigarette.

"So," Ian said with a clap of his hands, "I'm thinking," he continued cautiously, eyeing Mickey as if to judge his reaction to something he hadn't even heard yet. The ex-con eyed his boyfriend wearily, not knowing where this was going. "I just... I mean... We're pretty good right now, right?"

"Spit it out Gallagher," he instructed without malice or anger.

"What about a pet?" Ian sing-songed excitedly.

"On our budget?" Mickey laughed back.

"Or a car?" Ian all but screamed with glee.

"Again," Mickey smiled, "Budget."

"Oh, oh, I know," Ian clapped some more, "A joint phone!"

Mickey laughed again, "Want a joint bank account too?"

"Whatever I can get that keeps you attached to me forever," Ian whispered playfully.

"I ain't going anywhere," Mickey whispered back, looking into Ian's bright green eyes.

"Not with Lazlo to think about," Ian laughed back, his lips brushing softly against Mickeys. "He's our fish, Barry's the cat, Milo's the dog and Hubert's the parrot."

Mickey laughed out loud and swatted at his lover when the taller boy fell on top of him. "You are not naming any pet we get, man." Mickey decided resolutely.

The two laughed for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow.

"So joint bank and phone, huh?" Mickey asked softly, Ian hummed in response and Mickey smiled back brushing his thumb against his lip and nodding his head.


	32. Another West Point Conversation

"So what else did we miss?" Iggy asked earnestly, from his spot on the floor facing the couch. It was just the Milkovich siblings, Lip and Ian left. Well to be fair, Fiona was there too but she was washing up in the kitchen having shooed off any offer of help so she could sneak a few glasses of wine while she pretended to be busy at work, but was actually just reading a magazine. Mickey and Ian were squashed into the chair opposite the television, with Mandy and Lip on either side of the couch and Joey planted firmly in the middle. Jimmy had gone to bed claiming he had an important meeting early in the morning, Carl had been forced upstairs at a semi reasonable hour because of school the next day and Debbie had taken herself up just after 10 on the pretense of doing homework in her own room before Mandy kicked her out when she went to bed. Mandy had laughed and told her the room was hers again as Mandy had no reason to avoid the Milkovich house any more. Joey and Iggy would never admit to just how relieved that made them. Liam had been put to bed shortly after the 'M'ickey' incident and Kev and Vee had slinked off a couple of hours ago to fully take advantage of the kids being at her mums for the night.

"Hmm?" Ian mumbled from practically sitting on Mickey's lap, because the ex-con had refused to budge up to give the younger man more space. Mickey was too busy laughing at his lovers attempts to move him to answer.

"Well we missed the new house, the new army of bodyguards you built yourself here," Iggy remarked, gesturing around the now relatively quiet household. "The new job at the garage," he continued, raising his eyebrows at his brother, "We miss anything else?"

"Nah man," Mickey answered back, "Moved in this place after leaving home, was touch and go for a while," he laughed as Ian snorted and Lip nodded in agreement. "Then we figured we'd get a new place, this house is a bit crowded, so I got a better paying job and we made it happen."

"Proud of ya man," Joey slurred slightly, they had all been putting away a lot of beer.

Ian hummed in agreement and shamelessly leaned over to kiss his partner, Mickey kissed him back for all of a second before biting his lip playfully, drawing out a small but powerful laugh from the red-head.

"What about you man?" Iggy piped up again, now looking squarely at the man sat in his brothers lap.

"Hmmm?" Ian asked again.

Iggy laughed and raised his eyebrows higher, "What's going on with you? Ya know, apart from domesticating Mickey fucking Milkovich."

Mickey flipped him off but made no move to correct him so Ian smiled brightly and inhaled as he thought how to answer. "Ummm," was all he came up with so Mickey snorted and poked him in the stomach.

Ian laughed and raised his arms in surrender, "OK, OK," he mumbled.

"Didn't you used to do ROTC or some shit, remember Mandy gushing about it when you guys were dating." Joey asked helpfully.

"Fake dating," Mandy supplied loudly.

"Umm yeah, wanted to go to West Point," the wannabe soldier offered happily. Mickey growled at that and Ian was quick to add-on, "Still do, but I suck at school, not getting the grades."

"Would probably help if you turned up once in a while," Mandy chortled from her slouched position on the sofa.

"Whatever," Ian laughed back, "Coming from miss education over there." Mandy snorted back but made no move to speak again so Ian continued. "So, anyway, I started seeing this adviser at the college, he's helping me put some things together that'll improve my chances apparently."

"Yeah?" Iggy responded, "Cool man."

Mickey hummed next to Ian's ear and the two looked at each other for a few moments. They didn't really talk all that much about what would happen if/when Ian went away. Being separated wasn't something either of them liked to think about but knowing it wouldn't end them and that Ian would have Mickey to come home to no matter what, helped to drive the red-head forward. Having his soul mate supporting him was just the push Ian needed to fulfill all of his dreams, the most important of which was to always make sure Mickey was by his side, metaphorically if not physically.

"Hey man, you still working at the Kash'N'Grab?" Joey asked suddenly, "Not seen you there recently."

"Umm, not really." Ian answered. "I mean, I still pick up a few shifts when Linda's desperate for the help, but with the house and everything, I haven't really had time. the adviser also suggested putting some hours in at the recruitment center, ya know, doing some voluntary work to show my commitment and all that. But when I looked into it the guy said there was actually a job opening up so I applied. Got an interview next week."

"Awesome, man, good luck and everything." Iggy smiled.

"Doesn't need luck, model little soldier this one," Mickey laughed, rubbing a fist on top of Ian's head. Ian fought back as Lip snorted and asked if that was why Ian was living on a budget for now.

"That's right," Mickey added, removing himself from Ian's death grip, "Kept man this one," he teased, "Living off my toils..." Ian fought back harder and soon the two were full-out wrestling between bouts of wild laughter.

The other occupants of the room smiled at the sight of them then turned to resume some semblance of conversation.

"What about you guys?" Lip asked good-naturedly.

"Well my probation's nearly up," Iggy responded excitedly, "So I can finally get rid of that fucking job my probation bitch got me at the public toilets."

Lip grimaced at the imagery that brought forward and Joey shook his own head in disgust. "Got any idea what you're gonna do next?"

"Nah man, living each day as it comes." He sing-songed, waving his arms as if blowing freely in the wind.

"Poetic," Mandy snorted from where she was half falling asleep. Iggy just flipped her off.

Lip looked to Joey then and raised his eyes, the older boy just shrugged and said "I got a job down at the bottle factory for now, its shit work but the pays OK ya know."

"Could be worse man," Iggy lamented mournfully, again dredging up images of the public toilets on a Friday or Saturday night.

"So what you doing with yourself boy genius?" Joey asked Lip.

"Umm, honestly?" The sandy-haired boy responded, "Nothing."

"Why the fuck not? If I had your brain... Man, I'd be so far outta this shit hole by now you wouldn't even see my dust." Iggy slurred.

"You fucking love this place?" Mandy shot back and Iggy just smiled, announcing warmly "That's only because I'm too stupid to know better."

Joey laughed but agreed and Lip smirked into his next sip of beer. "I dunno man," he responded earnestly, "Here... In the South Side... I know who I am." Lip explained genuinely. "I like who I am here. Fuck knows who I'd be somewhere else."

"Yeah but you'd get to choose," the youngest Milkovich boy added incredulously. "I mean, you'd get to choose who you were, where you were and what you do, I mean that's pure fucking freedom man, and if you don't like it you can come back here and start again, no harm no foul."

Lip's eyebrows shot up as he looked to the thug opposite him.

"Don't sweat it man," Mickey jeered from underneath Ian, "He says profound shit like that all the time, then in a coupl'a minutes he'll burp the alphabet and be just as proud of that."

"Oh I can totally do that," Iggy beamed smugly.

Lip snorted but looked to be pondering what the other boy had said and Mandy smiled to herself that for all of the Gallagher genius, it takes a Milkovich to bring it out. She was kinda pissed that she had tried to so hard to force it out of the older boy but that all it took for Iggy was a drunken ramble but oh well, she shrugged, still a Milkovich.

"No please," Mandy ranted happily, "No one ask me."

"Fuck you, we all know what you're up to whether we want to or not!" Joey scoffed and Mandy cuffed him on the back of his head. He swung his arm around his little sisters shoulders and pulled her into his side in a tight hug. Mandy promptly sunk into the hug and fell asleep.

"She," Mickey announced, pointing to his sister, with the hand that wasn't holding Ian's arm firmly behind his back, "Is going back to school."

"Yup," Joey confirmed, squeezing the beautiful girl tighter in his arm. "She's getting out of this place and she don't need no one else to do it for her."

Lip watched as Iggy, Joey, Ian and Mickey all hummed in agreement and smiled at the sleeping woman, he felt like he was missing something big but that maybe it wasn't his place to be in on it anymore, not since he'd let the raven-haired girl go. A wave of sadness passed over him at the loss but he knew it was for the best.

It was no secret from the other occupants in the room that Mandy wanted out, who could blame her after the life she had led with Terry at the helm of her family. But she had always assumed that she'd need someone to pull her out, someone like Lip to take her with him and give her permission to live the life she wanted. What Mandy hadn't realised yet was that she didn't need help from anyone, she could and would do it herself not because she had to but because she wanted to and no one was more determined than her. She just needed to focus her energy in the right direction and she would take off, leaving all of them behind and they would smile and watch her do it proudly. That journey would start with going back to school regularly and being the first Milkovich to graduate, Ian had already asked his adviser to help her out and he'd agreed to meet her. The boys were determined to help her in any way they could, and that would mean convincing her to take less shifts at the shitty waffle house she worked and spend more time studying, she'd hate the idea of that if it didn't mean having Ian to herself for a few hours just like the old days. The red-head in question looked over to his peaceful best friend and decided that he couldn't wait to get that time back either.

Fiona walked into the room then, announcing she was heading to bed, but before she could turn to ascend the stairs Lip called to her and stopped her in her tracks, she turned and raised an eyebrow to the younger boy questioningly.

"We're having a 'getting to know the family' session," he smiled, gesturing to the newcomers surrounding him. "Your turn to share."

"OK," Fiona said slowly, "My name is Fiona, I live with four of my siblings who I adore, by the way," she announced playfully, "I have a boyfriend I can't quit, even though everyone else seems to think he's bad news and I now work in a diner because I lost my old job after my boss got handsy."

"I could help with that?" Iggy piped up seductively, "The useless boyfriend thing," he drawled out in explanation, "Just let me know if you ever want a change of scenery."

Fiona laughed out loud as Mickey confidently pointed out "She'd eat you fucking breakfast, man."

Iggy just nodded appreciatively and Fiona turned to go up the stairs. "Night boys," she called behind her.

A series of 'goodnight Fi's' and 'yeah nights' followed her and then all the boys settled back into quiet as they resumed their steady, casual, drinking.

"What diner she work at?" Iggy asked, feigning innocence, a couple of minutes later.

Mickey threw a cushion at his head and Joey kicked him in the shin, "What?" He laughed, "Just wanted to make sure her new boss ain't getting handsy too, just looking out for family, ya know," he protested.

Ian laughed and Lip snorted, Mandy moaned and Joey rolled his eyes. Mickey just looked down at him, "It's Charlie," he muttered.

"Who?" Iggy replied, catching his breath.

"Her boss," Mickey replied lightly. Ian squeezed his arm and smiled down at him, Mickey just nodded that he was OK and turned back to his curious looking brothers.

After a minute of silent contemplation Joey all but jumped in his seat, unsettling but not waking Mandy. "Danny's kid?"

Mickey snorted, "Not really a kid," he laughed.

"Well yeah, but, Danny's son?" He asked again.

"Yup," Mickey confirmed.

"Jesus, you break his jaw yet?" Iggy piped up again.

"Nah man," Mickey waved them off, remembering the day he'd seen him again and had to leave before he cost Fiona her job.

"Almost," Ian laughed at the same time.

"Want us to finish the job?" Joey offered sincerely.

"It's fine," Mickey said firmly, "We sorted it."

"Well if you change your mind man, we got your back." Iggy beamed proudly.

Mickey scoffed as Joey agreed, the ex-con nodded softly and Ian smiled brightly. Lip drank down another gulp of his warming beer.

"I got the tools back," Mickey announced after a moments silence and both his brothers smiled a muttered mix of 'about bloody time' and 'that's awesome man.'

After that conversation flowed easily for another hour or so before Mickey pushed Ian off his lap and stood to stretch, he declared it was time to move cause he wasn't sleeping on that goddamn seat and it was now or never. Ian stood up behind him and demanded a piggy back he was not granted, he pouted for all of a few seconds before he smiled and decided to jump up anyway. Needless to say, the boys fought all the way home. Joey carried Mandy, Iggy offering to sing her back to sleep every time she seemed she would wake up and all three boys declined that offer too, not that it stopped him either. Lip had stayed at the Gallagher's so it was just the four of them and Mandy, singing and fighting down the quiet, barely lit streets. Eventually came the time for them to split up, Ian and Mickey saying drunken but fond goodbyes before turning left to their new home as the others turned right to the Milkovich manor.


	33. The Bubble

"So what happens next?" Ian asked merrily, exhaling smoke and stubbing the used cigarette out in the ashtray beside the bed.

"Hmmm," Mickey mumbled, laying next to energetic red-head and feigning tiredness. "Maybe the shit will come from your direction next time."

"Well it is my turn," the younger boy agreed, moving to straddle the ex-con and pin his wrists to the mattress. "Or maybe," he continued, leaning down to punctuate the words with a sharp kiss to Mickey's lips. "Maybe, there won't be anything else?" Another kiss, deep and brooding. "Maybe now," he gently bit along Mickey's jaw, "We get to just be together," he smiled as he licked the older mans collarbone, eliciting an appreciative moan. "No pretending not to care," he whispered into the crook of Mickey's neck, "No secrets and lying," he spoke into the smaller boys chest. "No hiding from the World," a kiss to Mickey's stomach, "No juvie," a bite to the naval.

Mickey groaned deeply and reached down to grab the younger boys head, he tilted his lovers face to his and pulled him up into a deep and shattering kiss.

"No psycho fathers or forced marriages." Ian continued boldly between kisses, his hands grabbing a hold of Mickey's hips as the shorter boy thrust their crotches together. Ian whined into his partners mouth as Mickey drew back to carry on the dialogue.

"No interfering, overprotective family." He growled, hands still holding onto Ian's head, fingers buried deep into the thick red hair he knew he could never live without.

"No homophobic asshole brothers." Ian replied, moving his hands to Mickey's shoulders as he sat up in the ex-cons lap, bringing the raven-haired boy to sit up with him so the kissing could continue.

"Still got two'a those left," Mickey quipped as he unapologetically tore at Ian's shirt to get it off.

"They're not important," Ian whispered back, raising his arms to help Mickey remove his clothing.

"Nope," the older boy agreed immediately.

"No more obstacles," Ian tried to keep the desperation out of his voice but he couldn't help the small whine that escaped him.

"Nothing but us," Mickey stated back, full and confident and honest and Ian couldn't help but beam into the next kiss as Mickey flipped them. Ian's back slammed onto the mattress and Mickey slipped easily between the younger boys legs. He looked down into the green orbs he loved and smiled a smile of his own.

Ian laughed up at him for a moment before both their expressions turned serious again. The two stared deep into each others eyes and Mickey gently ran his hand down Ian's face. The red-head clutched Mickey's back like a lifeline until the older boy finally leaned down for another powerful kiss. The pair rutted together frantically for minutes on end, gasping and and breathing into each others mouths, fumbling hands dragging over all of the exposed skin they could reach. Ian mewled in Mickey's arms, grinding against him as the older boy pressed him solidly into the mattress. Mickey arched his back after a particularly aggressive thrust from Ian, then suddenly he threw himself off of his lover and leaned into the bedside table drawer.

 

-x-

 

"God damn Milkovich," Ian drawled appreciatively as a slumped Mickey finally pulled himself up and off of Ian's lap.

The older boy scoffed and lay down next to his lover as Ian lit a cigarette.

"What fucking time is it man?"

"Late?" Ian shrugged, "Early?" He added cheerfully, "Depends on your world view."

"Asshole," Mickey laughed back, leaning over the taunting red-head to look at the shitty alarm clock Carl had stolen for them. "Jesus, it's like 5 in the morning."

"You going in at 8?"

"Yeah, supposed to be."

"So bunk." Ian smirked suggestively as he looked to his partner. Mickey raised his eyebrows at the younger boy and all the red-head could do was smile brightly as he watched the ex-con's expression change to contemplative.

"Gonna make it worth my while Firecrotch?" Mickey leered, smirking himself now.

"I got a few tricks up my sleeve," he flirted back.

"Not your sleeves I'm interested in Gallagher," Mickey quipped back, eyebrows raised and lips quirked smugly.

Ian laughed into the kiss that followed and Mickey pinned him to the pillow. "You got that meeting later?"

"Yup," Ian breathed back, preoccupied with prolonging the contact.

"Gonna go?" The ex-con all but growled into Ian's parted lips.

"No." Ian gasped firmly as Mickey slid his hand down the red-head's chest.

"Good."

Ian and Mickey play-fought, fumbled and fucked their way through the morning, it was 10.00am before either of the sleep deprived teens even looked back to the clock. Ian had phoned his adviser and coughed down the phone, saying he had a cold but would catch up later in the week. Mickey rang Matty and told him he was taking the day off and it was none of his fucking business why. Of course Matty had agreed, having heard Ian giggle in the background and instantly deciding he didn't want details.

"Mmm," Ian hummed contentedly, lit cigarette ignored in his hand as he just lay down next to the ex-con he cherished more than life itself. "Yesterday was a good day," he said softly, turning his head to see a thoughtful looking Mickey.

"Mmhmm," Mickey agreed quietly, rubbing his thumb against his lip and not moving his eyes from Ian's for a second.

"Kinda think if we don't go to sleep then it won't have to end," Ian whispered tiredly into Mickey's shoulder.

"Doesn't matter if it does end," Mickey replied gently, "Every day's gonna be good from now on."

Ian closed his eyes and smiled wide, he inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly, reopening his eyes to find Mickey still looking straight at him. "Everyday for the last few months has been a good day." The red-head whispered definitively.

Mickey cocked his head to the side, still unable to believe that someone like Ian could want someone like him so passionately. The Gallagher boy in question seemed to sense Mickey's inner pondering because he immediately turned around to face the older boy with his whole body, he pressed up hard against him and leaned his forehead down to rest against the ex-cons. "Everyday since you chose me, saved me from your dad that second time, at the store, every day since I finally got you back has been a good day, a great day Mick. Hell, even a shit load of days before that," Ian smiled, Mickey's expression had relaxed a tiny bit so Ian carried on happily. "Between the juvie and the walking away, there were a tonne of good days, just you and me... God damn it Milkovich, I love you so much and I know you know it, I know you believe it and I know you feel it back." The red-head leaned his head to press his lip's against Mickey's and the two absorbed each other into the kiss.

"This can't ever fucking end," Mickey sighed, releasing Ian from the embrace and pressing his head against his lovers collar-bone. He hated being vulnerable, showing weakness in any way but Ian had a way of drawing it out of him. What shocked him most at first was that he didn't even care. None of his rules applied to Ian now, so he had no problem with the desperation in his voice as he spoke those words. "I don't have a fucking clue what I'm doing half the time Ian," he admittedly honestly, "You gotta keep talking to me OK? I may fuck this up sometimes, you just gotta keep telling me what I'm supposed to be doing, OK?"

Ian reached out and tentatively pulled Mickey's head up to look back into his eyes. "Mick," he soothed, "Outside of you I've had nothing but shitty affairs and one-off fucks, I'm as new to this as you. I don't ever wanna screw this up but I'm gonna make mistakes too, I love you but I know how I can be and I'm gonna do shit that you wont like and you're gonna have to kick my ass into gear too." He kissed Mickey reassuringly when the ex-con just scoffed, "Mick, we're both in over our heads here but I gotta say, I wouldn't want it any other way. I mean, we been doing pretty damn good so far, right?"

Mickey scoffed again at Ian's smug smile. He reached up a hand to grab gently at the back of Ian's head, pulling the other boy close enough to taste his breath, "I don't know what you turned me into Gallagher," he muttered humorously, thinking about all the sappy and emotional conversations that were commonplace in his life now, things he says and does now without even thinking about them. Friends he's made, choices and changes that came naturally to him. "But," he whispers, "I'm fucking OK with it," he laughed. Ian smiled his signature smile and Mickey pulled away from him so he could look at the other boy properly. "I think I might actually be happy," the ex-con joked dramatically.

Ian scoffed at the wording but smiled at the sentiment. "Me too," he teased back, "Huh, what d'ya know."

They rough housed for a few more minutes before Mickey registered that Ian had finished the last of the juice he'd brought into the bedroom when they'd got home. Regretfully he announced it was time to get up, this led to a mad chase through the hall toward the bathroom, pushing and shoving the other in an attempt to get there first. A battle that was rendered pointless when they both fought there way in and simply shared their bathroom morning routine anyway.

After another fight, this time for the few remaining clean clothes before laundry day, the two stumbled down the stairs laughing and shoving their way to the kitchen, Ian poured the juice as Mickey poured the cereal. Ian got the milk out of the fridge and brought it to the table as Mickey fetched the spoons from the cutlery drawer and then they both sat down at the table and proceeded to make grunted conversation between mouthfuls of food and bouts of giggling. Ian started playing footsy under the table and Mickey laughed at the absurdity of it before playing along, naturally this only lasted a couple of moments before that too became an all out foot war which nearly resulted in the loss of said table and all that was perched on top of it.

After the dishes were discarded in the sink for later, the table cleared and the milk put back in the refrigerator, the two boys moved to the living room and sank into the couch. Mickey idly flipped through the channels as Ian tried to convince him to watch a film instead, because day time TV sucked. Eventually Mickey relented, having known all along he would, just wanting to prolong it as long as possible to get as much out of it as Ian could offer. He managed to hold out for a back rub, joint shower with promises of getting dirtier before getting any cleaner, Ian was forbidden to wear any type of clothing on his top half for the whole day and Mickey was allowed to dress or undress as he saw fit. Ian, however, decided that he got the last laugh as he pulled his shirt off because all of that stuff would have happened anyway.

For the time being Mickey chose to stay clothed, much to Ian's chagrin, but the ex-con did allow Ian to use his body heat to keep warm so the two settled into the couch cushions to choose a film.

After almost an hour of laughing and fighting back and forth between the tiny collection of DVDs they had managed to accumulate and somehow keep safe from the wandering hands of their respective family members, they were finally down to two possibilities. Ian wanted Die Hard and Mickey wanted Predator, they thumb warred but Ian refused to accept that outcome on account of Mickey's supposed cheating. Then they played rock, paper, scissors but again Ian declared Mickey had broken the rules and so disregarded that result too. Ian put both films behind his back and asked Mickey to choose a hand, when he kept choosing the hand that Predator was in, Ian all but screamed incredulously before declaring that once again Mickey must have cheated and so challenged him to a game of cards, him as dealer, to decide once and for all. After accusations of foul play at poker, a fist fight breaking out over black jack and a near miss with a fire extinguisher during a particularly fierce game of Go Fish, Ian and Mickey ended up sat on either side of the sofa. Facing each other, locked in a deadly battle of wits and concentration, the two glared and laughed, and fought with determination and pride. This was by far the most intense game of snap that either had ever been involved in. Mickey had quicker reflexes so his hand always reached the pile first, but Ian was quicker to speak so usually managed to shout 'Snap' first. This, of course, led to bickering, and in one instance a tickle fight that Mickey managed to win by breaking the bonds of partnership and going for Ian's toes. "There are no rules in love and war!" He shouted victoriously, claiming his cards from a begrudgingly laughing Ian.

"Whatever, you start douche bag." The red-head grinned, looking up at the raven-haired boy instead of at the cards.

"Snap!" Mickey shouted gleefully, dropping his hand down with a thump only a second after Ian had dropped his next card.

Ian rolled his eyes at Mickey's two card win but made a conscious effort to pay more attention next time, if only Mickey's gorgeous eyes weren't so fucking absorbing, and deep... And fucking blue.

Following a brief interval, when Ian had gotten handsy in a bid to distract Mickey from the game and the two had subsequently got carried away, the red-head eventually conceded that Mickey won and so put Predator into the DVD player in an attempt to ignore the raven-haired boys gloating. Mickey went to the kitchen to get drinks and snacks and the two finally settled in to watch the film.

-x-

Ian was leaning on Mickey's shoulder, the film was in its final moments and the young boy was desperately trying to stay awake, through fear of what Mickey would do to him if he fell asleep. There was a sharpie on the shelf that he would rather not mix with. Ian was huddled into Mickey's side, both seated in the middle of the three seater sofa and both with their feet planted on the temporary snack table the ex-con had erected out of beer crates in front of it. Finally, as the credits rolled Ian exhaled and shoved himself to his feet.

"You alright there Gallagher?" Mickey asked smugly.

"Yeah," Ian shot back, rubbing his face and shaking the tiredness away. "All good."

"Well seeing as you're up," Mickey commented sickeningly sweetly.

Ian raised his eyebrows at the shorter man and in turn Mickey just grinned comically. "What?" The ex-con laughed, "You gonna try tell me that wasn't your stomach rumbling through the whole Predator/Arnie stand-off?"

Ian huffed out a laugh and rolled his eyes, "Oh cause you're not hungry."

"I'm not saying I ain't hungry Firecrotch, but I'm also not the one standing up."

Ian puffed out his chest and rested his hands on his hips, face just screaming 'oh really?' But Mickey was far from intimidated and his smirk remained firmly planted on those luscious lips until Ian broke and smiled.

"Urgh, fine," he relented gruffly, "But you're coming in there with me, I need the body heat." He winked at Mickey seductively, a gesture that was spoilt by the immediate and violent shiver that passed over him, making the older boy laugh out loud and Ian pout in response.

The Gallagher boy was still only wearing a pair of jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips and Mickey was his only real source of warmth. The Milkovich in question still had on a loose pair of pants that he hadn't actually bothered to do up, so they too were threatening to fall down entirely with every step the ex-con took, he had, however, taken his shirt off at one point during the film, declaring Ian to be a human furnace, but had soon felt the chill again and put on a baggy tank top instead. He stood up begrudgingly and followed his lover into the kitchen, where he slumped against the work surface and watched as the red-head dug through the cupboards to find something suitable for a late lunch/early dinner.

"OK, so we got mac and cheese, pizza bagels, pancakes or waffles." He commentated as he burrowed through a high cupboard and Mickey would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying the view of a stretching Ian. The muscles rippling in all the right places. "Or we got a shit tonne of Cheetos," he huffed, turning to face his partner, leaning his arms against the cupboards behind him as he turned.

"Eh, so long as you're cooking it, could have a mixture of all the above for all I care." Mickey leaned back with his arms folded across his chest, eyeing the half-naked Ian in front of him appreciatively.

The younger boy rolled his eyes but smiled. "Pancakes it is," he laughed.

Mickey nodded in agreement and pushed himself off the counter as Ian moved around the kitchen to collect everything he'd need. As the red-head stood in front of the stove, heating up the hob and arranging the pan, Mickey came up behind him and wrapped his strong arms around Ian's unclothed body.

Ian hummed cozily and leaned back into the touch, "Gonna have to stop distracting me if you actually wanna eat today?" The taller boy murmured.

"Thought you wanted the body heat?" The ex-con leered back, breath ghosting warmly against the back of Ian's neck.

"Oh, I'm not complaining," the red-head smiled, turning in his lovers arms and wrapping his own arms around the other boys body.

 

-x-

 

"Hey, we supposed to be going round to Mickey's today?" Iggy asked as he walked into the living room of the Milkovich house. Mandy and Joey were sat on the couch playing Halo on the XBox and Tony and Jamie were out.

"Nah man, Mick text this morning, said it can wait till tomorrow." Joey replied, leaning forward in his seat and barely looking away from the television screen.

"Yeah and Debbie rang asking if I knew what was going on, apparently she got the same text off Ian," The youngest sibling winked at her brother before turning back to the screen with a shout of, "That's right bitch, suck it!"

Iggy shrugged and lit a cigarette, sitting next to his warring siblings and claiming dibs on the next battle.

 

-x-

 

Ian was happily mixing pancake batter while Mickey was slumped against the counter beside him, his own bowl of mix in his arms, but so far going unstirred.

"Jesus Mick," Ian smiled, "And you're normally so good with your hands," he smirked.

Mickey turned to glare at the smug red-head, the younger boy didn't seem affected by this however, so without warning Mickey removed his gaze from Ian and turned to face the bowl in his arms. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head, muttering a quiet "Yup," to himself then he dropped the spoon onto the counter behind him and reached his hand into the mixture. Mickey scooped as much as he could into his hand then hurled it into his lovers face at point-blank range, diving behind the counter, but still clutching his ammunition, before Ian could respond in kind.

The taller man stood glued to the spot, his mouth wide open in shock, for several moments. Enough time, in fact, for Mickey to regain his own bearings and hurl another dollop of pancake mix into Ian's face. It was the snort of hysterical laughter that finally roused Ian, though, and as Mickey once again retreated behind the counter the red-head dropped to the floor himself and got in the game. He hurled his own spoon over the counter in an effort to even the playing field but was disappointed when his opponent just laughed and threw it back. Stealth was obviously required so Ian made a point of clattering the cupboard he was leaning against, before sneaking quietly to the edge of the works bench that separated him from his target. Once at the edge of the counter, Ian peered round carefully, hand loaded with mixture and elbow raised ready to release. He peeked round further when he couldn't find the older boy anywhere and alarm bells immediately sounded. Suddenly he heard a cough from above him and saw the raven-haired boy leaning over the counter with a hand full of goop hanging above his head. With a smug smile he opened his hand and released a fresh layer of the would be pancake onto Ian's head. Ian laughed out a scream and darted away from the counter, taking up hiding behind the door to the mystery room.

As Mickey's laughter rang through the kitchen, the younger boy stood with his own bright smile, blocking the door in case of any sudden attack and planning his next move. Realising Mickey must be nearly out of mixture by now, seeing as how Ian was wearing most of it, Ian snorted to realise that he had that as an advantage at least.

"How much you got left there Mick?" He yelled cheerfully, not caring about the element of surprise because honestly, like that was ever gonna happen with Mickey.

He heard the older boy scoff and scuttle into hiding, having probably already realised the exact same thing.

Ian slowly opened the door, dropping quietly to his knees to peer out subtly, he searched the kitchen as quickly as possible. Upon spotting his victim, bunched under the table with a smile so wide it nearly blinded the young man, Ian snapped himself out of his inner awe and hurled the mix at the man he loved. Mickey, of course, noticed and tried to dodge the incoming projectile but was just slightly too late, catching a huge clump to the side of the cheek. Ian screamed with glee and Mickey cursed beautifully. He flipped the table on its side and hid behind it as Ian grew more confident and threw the door open altogether. The Gallagher boy charged at the make-shift fort and was just about to breach the wall when Mickey shot up from behind it and threw the remainder of his own mixture.

Mickey tried to take advantage of Ian's surprise and make a grab for the red-head's bowl, but only succeeded in removing himself from his protective barrier. Ian swirled around before Mickey could disarm him, then immediately turned round and threw all of the bowls contents over the shorter mans head.

Mickey tackled Ian to the floor and proceeded to drip all of his new coating over the younger man, he rubbed his hands threw Ian's hair, spreading the mixture as much as possible through the red strands. Ian struggled as he laughed, desperately trying to fight the ex-con off. He hurled his hands out and decided to fight fire with fire, rubbing his own sticky palms all across his lover's face. Mickey squirmed but did not relinquish his own barrage and so the two boys struggled on the floor covered in the days lunch/dinner and laughed despite the mess they were making, despite both knowing they would have to clean up before Debbie came back and had a fit.

 

-x-

 

Later that night, after ordering a take-out, the boys shouted through the letter box for the guy to drop it on the step, the money was already on the stoop, and Ian and Mickey were both far too naked to open the door while company was guaranteed outside. Mickey had insisted there was no point getting dressed again after the food fight incident because clothes really did just get in the way. Ian eventually made a compelling argument for having to wear underwear whilst eating steaming hot pizza and Mickey had reluctantly agreed, on the promise that it would be coming off again before the night was over.

After watching Die Hard whilst they ate, Ian gave Mickey the owed back rub, the latter making it as difficult as possible every step of the way. Turning over whenever Ian got a good rhythm, quipping that Ian should go lower, push harder, put those hands to better use. At one point the older man actually thrust up into Ian's hand just to see if he could put the younger man off his game.

The joint shower was put on hold until after the clean up of the kitchen, which was finished surprisingly quickly, what with the promise of more nakedity afterwards. After both the house and the pair of boys were finally clean, they settled back into the couch to smoke and share a beer. They drank and talked, TV on but forgotten in the background as they reminisced about times past. That time that Mandy set that bitch Collette's hair on fire, or that one time Lip had walked up to the bouncer determined to kick him in the balls for insulting Karen, only he'd missed and just barely grazed his shin and then got chased two blocks by the bigger man's even bigger son, who'd watched the whole thing take place. There was also that time when Mickey and Iggy had been determined to prove that their neighbour was secretly a double agent so had set up microphones on all of his windowsills. Unfortunately said mics were all on the outside, and weren't actually plugged in to anything, so, at 4/5 years old, and having recorded nothing for months, the boys had had their first taste of disappointment.

The pair were content to stay up all night talking away the hours, but, having not slept the previous night either, they both ultimately fell asleep mid sentence, snuggled into the couch, beers only half drunk and cigarette still burning away in the ash tray. It wasn't until the knock on the door the next morning that either of them remembered the rest of the world existed, happy as they had been in their own little bubble.

Reluctantly, Mickey disentangled himself from the man he loved more than life itself, he sat up beside the sleeping body beside him and looked down on it lovingly. He reached a hand up to brush a wayward hair back behind Ian's ear and smiled at the warmth of the touch, both physically and the feeling it left behind. Another knock roused him from his thoughts and he grunted as he stood, stomping over to the front door. He swung it open, mindful of the younger boy still asleep on the couch.

"Hello Mickey."

"Fuck you doing here?"


	34. Shits Gone South

"Ian here?" The nervous man asked, fiddling with his hands for want of anything better to do with them.

"He's asleep, and I ain't waking him up for your ass, so keep your fucking voice down." Mickey growled back defensively, barely opening the door and leaning on the edge of it to show the other man he wasn't about to be let in.

"I'm not here to cause trouble."

"Oh yeah? What you here for then?" Mickey retorted, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows, leaning even further back into the door.

Silence...

"Look, we had a deal, this ain't part of it." Mickey said sternly, after the fumbling man remained quiet and contemplative for far longer than Mickey appreciated standing out in the cold. "Leave, now, before I stop asking nicely."

"No, look, I just wanna-" The older man rushed to say, holding up a placating hand and urging Mickey to listen.

"Wanna what? Check in or check up?" Was the older boys scornful response.

"What?" The other man asked desperately.

"Well you're either here to check on your investment or check in for some family bonding, neither is gonna happen so back the fuck up off our porch."

"Wait, jus-"

"No, you fucking wait," Mickey whisper-shouted back, holding up a hand to stop Clayton's attempted advancement. "Deal was, you put up the money and we payed you back as soon as physically fucking possible. There been any gaps in monthly payments?"

"No, but-"

"Exactly, so we're square. You never said shit about checking up on the place, we had free reign to fix it up however we wanted to, that's what we're doing."

"I'm not checking up o-"

"So you're here to see Ian?" Mickey demanded ferociously, moving slightly away from the door and scoffing when the red-head flinched.

"I just-"

"Wanted to bond with your long lost son?" Mickey scoffed angrily. "Gimme a fucking break. This whole thing was so you didn't have to do the devoted daddy thing. Buying his forgiveness for you not giving a shit. Well it's done, obligation over, you can leave now!"

"Look, he's still my so-"

"No, actually he's not. He's nothing to you but a temporary tenant. He's got a family, same one he's had his whole life, you ain't a part of it until he wants you to be and he's already made his feelings clear on that subject."

"I don't even know his middle name," Clayton all but whined.

Mickey let out a sickened laugh at that, but he silenced himself with no explanation, not wanting to give the older man the satisfaction of hearing his namesake.

"I just want to know my son, I guess, I thought I could do this without knowing who he was." Emotion was all but flooding out of the other man but Mickey barely noticed, thinking only of the red-head on the sofa inside, the one whom his world revolved around. What was best for Ian was all that mattered to him, not the asshole at the door who was suddenly having a crisis of conscience. "God knows, it'd be easier if I could, but I dunno, I can't not know him." Clayton continued to rant oblivious to Mickey's inner dwellings.

"Yes you can, that's exactly what you're gonna do cause that's what he wants and you fucking owe him that much. You give, even half a shit about him, you won't carry on with this. You'll turn around, drive your fancy ass car back to the North Side and leave Ian be."

With that Mickey slammed the door and moved slowly back to the sofa, eyeing the sleeping red-head adoringly as he advanced. He watched the slow, steady breathing and the rhythmic swaying of his hair as it fell in front of his parted lips. He cupped the sleeping boys face as he leaned down to kneel on the floor in front of him. "Hey sleepy head," he whispered gently, brushing his lips over the shell of Ian's ear. "You wanna take this upstairs."

Ian smirked as he woke, "That a come on?"

"Like I need to flirt with your ass, I just gotta whistle and you'll come running," the ex-con teased playfully, grabbing Ian's reluctant arms and pulling the drowsy boy into a sitting position.

"Fuck you," Ian retorted, smiling stupidly.

Mickey let out a sharp whistling sound and Ian groaned as his smile grew. "Such an asshole," the younger man laughed as he slowly rose to his feet and padded to the stairs, all the while wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"You love my asshole," Mickey laughed back, following his lover and all but pushing him up the stairs.

When they got to the landing and Mickey tried to direct Ian into the bedroom, however, Ian struggled free from his lovers clutches and turned to the ex-con. "No," he asserted, "No more sleep, showering now, nakedness, dirty." He drawled as he pulled the older boy into the bathroom, safe in the knowledge that he'd accidentally left the water heater on last night, a fact which Mickey would kill him for after he'd taken full advantage of the mistake.

 

-x-

 

"So, your dad stopped by this morning." Mickey mumbled as the two boys sat down for breakfast, Ian handing Mickey his toast as Mickey poured the coffee.

"When?" Ian asked with scrunched up eyebrows.

"Before I woke your ass up."

"Well, what d'he want?" Ian's face had softened to a mildly curious expression as he raised his coffee to his lips gratefully.

"Not Frank," Mickey said calmly, "Your dad, Ian."

Ian stopped mid sip and looked at his partner. "What did he want?" He asked severely, eyeing Mickey with a purposefully blank expression.

"He wanted to talk to you man," Mickey all but whispered, turning his lips up into a short but comforting smile.

"That it?" Ian asked back, a vulnerability to him that had Mickey instantly on the defensive.

"Yeah, I sent him packing this time," Mickey explained, taking a warming drink from his own mug, all the while maintaining eye contact with the concerned red-head opposite him. "But I gotta tell ya man, I don't think he's giving up that easy."

"So what?" Ian shot back defensively, "Now he wants to know me or something?"

"I dunno, yeah maybe, think he wants to..." Mickey hesitated at the last word, looking down to his breakfast.

"What? Be my dad?" Ian scoffed ruefully.

"He doesn't get to be anything you don't want him to be," Mickey asserted firmly, flicking Ian's hand to get the younger boys eyes back on his own.

Ian nodded and smiled a small smile before going back to his food, and Mickey shot him one more concerned glance before he, too, resumed eating.

"Thanks," Ian muttered a few minutes later, not acknowledging the words by looking up from his morning meal.

 

-x-

 

"Jesus, alright!" Ian shouted as he ran to the door.

He had been getting changed when the knocking started and at first had been tempted to ignore it, through fear that it might be Clayton trying again to make contact. However, the knocking didn't desist and Ian realised that his dad probably wouldn't be back this quickly. Hell after Mickey's welcome this morning, which Ian was guessing was less than friendly, Clayton would probably avoid the house and try to pin Ian down at the Kash'n'Grab, not knowing that Ian didn't work there anymore. So the red-head guessed he was safe from having to deal with that particular time bomb any time soon and stumbled down the stairs to answer the frantic knocking. Mickey had gone out to get a few supplies and check in on Mandy, who'd left several voice-mails asking if they were dead.

Ian hurled the front door open and blinked at the first rays of harsh sunlight he'd seen that morning. "What?" He groaned, not actually having seen who was stood in front of him yet as his eyes hadn't adjusted to the light.

"Umm, Mickey here?" Came the anxious voice of Ian's faceless tormentor.

"No," he replied shortly, rubbing at his tired eyes. Was that a fucking cops uniform?

"OK, well when will he be back? Or where can I find him now?"

"What's this about?" Ian shot back, trying to hold back the aggressive tone threatening to seep into his voice.

"Ian, I just wanna talk to him," the red mist cleared from his mind at the genuine calm he heard in the voice of this particular policeman.

"What's going on Tony?"

The older man exhaled but made no move to either leave nor explain so Ian smiled as warmly as he could muster.

"Listen, Mick shouldn't be long but we have been AWOL for a day so Mandy might not let him leave that easy, so you might as well just talk to me. I know everywhere he's been for the last couple of months and everyone he's been with."

"It's not like that Ian, he's not in the frame for anything this time," the blonde man replied softly, exhaling again and looking anywhere but directly at Ian. "It's Terry," he finished reluctantly.

Ian froze immediately. In an instant a million thoughts rushed through his head. What could the police need to tell Mickey about Terry. Had something happened? Was he hurt? Or worse? Was Ian a bad person for hoping that maybe he was out of their lives for good? Maybe he was in prison, but then why the visit from Tony? They never bothered to tell his children when Terry was arrested before. Besides, this felt more like a personal errand for the other man, not official police business. A warning maybe.

"Just thought you guys should know," He started quietly, looking down to the ground... So a warning then... Ian inhaled as Tony continued. "He's out."

Ian's eyebrows scrunched up and he shot the officer a confused look.

"He got an early release," The older boy explained as if this should resolve any confusion.

"Out of what?" Ian asked dumbly.

"Prison," Tony responded slowly, scrunching his own eyebrows in confusion.

Ian opened his mouth to reply but then shut it again. Tony readjusted his stance at the door and Ian briefly considered whether or not he should let him in before his mind finally clicked into gear. "He was in prison?" The younger boy asked incredulously.

"Yeah, went in a couple of months back," the caring officer explained softly. "Breaking probation, nothing major but it bought him a year in jail. Overcrowding and crap means he's out next week though." He actually looked apologetic, like there was anything he could have done. Ian eyed the other man and his genuine concern and wandered, not for the first time, why his big sister couldn't have fallen for this man instead.

"Shit," Ian muttered, breaking his gaze away and looking down the road in the direction that Mickey should be walking back from at any time.

"I'm sorry, I guess I thought you knew he was inside."

"Nah, it's OK," Ian all but laughed, he released a gust of air then raised his head to face the older man again. "Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it."

"No worries, just let me know if you or Mickey need anything, if he comes round causing trouble. I mean," the cop's gaze fell to the floor again as he scuffed his feet awkwardly, "I'm guessing he's knows about you two?" He gestured to Ian and the house and then raised his eyes to once again look at the younger boy.

"Yep," Ian exhaled, smiling humorlessly.

"Well just let me know," Tony reiterated, before turning to walk away.

"Hey Tony," Ian called stepping further onto the porch, the other man turned around to smile reassuringly at the young red-head he'd watched grow. "Fiona's an idiot," was all Ian said but somehow it made Tony's smile grow wider and more honest. He nodded his head, a gesture Ian returned, then continued his walk away from the Milkovich/Gallagher home.

Only a few moments after Tony had disappeared round a corner in one direction, Mickey appeared at the end of the street from the opposite. Mickey wolf-whistled and Ian smiled brightly, before controlling his features and sending Mickey a look that stated plainly that shit had just taken on a downward trajectory.

 

-x-

 

"Jesus Christ," Mickey all but laughed, "We gotta stop answering the door."

Ian did laugh.

"Fuck," the ex-con exhaled. "So all this time I was here thinking we'd lucked out and Terry just didn't give a shit, was gonna just stay the fuck buried away somewhere..." Mickey mumbled, sinking further into the couch cushions next to his lover. "When really he was just in the can again and now he's coming out and guess where his first stops gonna be?"

"Church?" Ian scoffed, a mixture of pure sarcasm and naive hope.

Mickey laughed.

"How was Mandy?" Ian asked in a desperate attempt to change the topic.

"Bitch punched me, told me to tell you you're next."

Ian groaned and Mickey's smile broadened.

"You're not freaking out," Ian cocked his head to the side as he looked at the man he loved.

"Nah," Mickey stated firmly, "We got this, right?"

Ian smiled a smile of his own and pounced to straddle his lovers thighs. "We got this!" He affirmed proudly, leaning down to devour Mickey's lips in a bruising kiss.

After a few minutes of very heavy petting, Mickey groaned and reluctantly pushed Ian softly away. "None of that, stud, Mandy's on her way over."

Ian let out a heavy burst of laughter and smirked at the boy below him. "Stud?" He asked cockily.

"Am I wrong?" Mickey retorted with a smirk.

Ian barked out another laugh and got up to get a drink.

 

-x-

 

"So what happens now?"

Mandy had freaked out when they'd told her about Terry, and so in true Milkovich style she'd completely overreacted and called an emergency meeting. The whole Gallagher horde were crowded in Ian and Mickey's living room. Along with Kev and Vee, Jimmy, Amanda and Matty, for some reason. Even Sheila was there because she'd been looking after Liam when she got a call from Fiona saying there'd been an emergency and she'd insisted on coming over with some brownies she'd made and honestly believed could resolve any and all confrontations. They were damn good brownies.

Iggy and Joey had just arrived and Matty, who looked incredibly awkward and out of place, had just tried to leave but Debbie had tightened her grip on his hand and asked the question that no one knew how to answer.

Mickey groaned from his position on the floor next to Ian, the latter flicked his knee then threw him a teasing smile and licked his lips like he knew drove the older boy crazy. In retaliation Mickey rubbed his lip with his thumb and then traced the area with his tongue. Ian's pupils blew wide and darkened immediately and Mickey smirked before groaning again when Fiona commented sarcastically that any ideas were welcome.

"Well whatever plan we make we gotta do it quick, mum's got a date tonight so we gotta go pick up the kids before she starts getting ready, they don't need to see that shit." Veronica said from where she was snuggled into Kev's lap on the single seat chair in the corner of the room.

"You gotta warn Tony and Jamie," Mickey said seriously, looking between his brothers and sister.

"Meeting them at the house after we're done here, already told 'em it was about Terry so they're both gonna show. They been looking over their shoulders this whole time man." Joey stated somberly.

"Jesus," Mandy growled from her position leaning on the door frame to the kitchen. "How the fuck d'we end up with that psycho chasing our shadows?"

Amanda rolled her eyes at Lip's failure to react or reassure, so she stood from her seat, they had brought a couple of chairs in from the kitchen and perched them between the sofa and Kev and Vee's love seat. The college girl moved to stand next to the angry Milkovich and raised her hand to squeeze her shoulder comfortingly, an action which had the raven-haired girl relaxing enough to stop her pacing. Lip furrowed his brow and looked at an equally as surprised Fiona, the two only shaking the confusion off when Carl piped up with a murder plot.

"We don't know anyone who owns a ranch and none of us can fly a light aircraft," The Gallagher matriarch replied to her young siblings newest set of bad ideas.

"Mickey could do it couldn't ya Mick," he suggested openly.

Ian rolled his eyes but also smirked at his younger brothers obvious hero worship of the man he also loved.

"Look," the ex-con all but commanded, after smirking and nodding at Carl, "We can't do shit till he makes his move. He doesn't know where we live," he said, gesturing between himself and Ian, "And we're the ones he wants gone."

"That you can even say that so calmly," Fiona muttered sadly.

Mickey exhaled and looked between his siblings, each of them biting back a comment in defense of their fucked up family. To anyone on the outside looking in, hell even to them sometimes, the Milkovichs may seem pitiable, but the truth was that they'd accepted their lot in life a long time ago and they didn't want anyone's pity. Hell they didn't want anything from anyone, not their admiration or their help. They had what they had and they did what they had to do, simple as that.

"Just make sure you guys and Tone and Jamie stay the fuck away from that house next week. When the son of a bitch surfaces we'll figure out how to deal with him, but until we know what shit he's on or what mood he's in then we got no idea what to expect. If he's high then he's gonna be slower but smarter, if he's drunk then he's gonna be fucking reckless and if he's just angry then we're all fucked. Until he shows up then we're just pissing in the wind." Mickey stared his siblings down and they all immediately nodded in agreement.

"So that's the plan?" Debbie asked incredulously, "Do nothing?"

"That's normally the plan with us," Iggy snorted sarcastically.

"Well it's not good enough!" The young red-head yelled back. "You got us to help now."

"Your own Gallagher army," Ian muttered beside him. Mickey rolled his eyes at his boyfriend before turning back to the fuming Gallagher girl now stood in front of the sofa, Matty still seated and desperately trying to sink into the cushions.

"I know Deb's and when the times comes I'm sure you will, but 'till we know whats happening there is nothing we can do." He tried to explain so Debbie understood but the youngster just growled her frustrations.

"Yes there is," she demanded. "We can make plans, set traps, ya know, lay the foundations?"

"Lay the foundations?" Lip laughed back, looking straight at his younger sister with raised eyebrows.

"Yes!" She protested defensively when she noticed all eyes on her. "Figure out how to send that scumbag back to jail for good, or send him to the morgue!" She yelled desperately.

Carl's eyes shot to his sister and a grin erupted across his face.

"Whoa," Fiona shouted back, raising her arms as if to calm down a crowd, "What is it with the Gallagher's turning homicidal?"

"What?" Debbie shot back innocently. "It's for them," she commented, pointing between Mickey, Mandy, Iggy and Joey. "It's for family."

"I know Debs," Fiona said comfortingly, "But we can't just plot murder."

Debbie sighed and Carl looked incredibly annoyed. Fiona opened her mouth to talk again, shocked that she'd even had explain that to her young siblings in the first place, then Debbie beat her to it.

"I know that," she said softly. "I don't actually wanna kill anyone Fi, I just want him away for good, out of our lives."

Mickey smiled at the youngster as Fiona reached out to hug her. Ian beamed at his little sister and Kev and Vee shouted their cheers of "Here, here!"

"Well the guys a scumbag," Jimmy said suddenly, entering the conversation as tactfully as ever, Iggy looked ready to punch him just on principle. "Right?" He asked quickly, suddenly aware of a lot of sets of eyes pointed his way, and the lack of agreeing mumbles.

"You have a point?" Joey growled, "Or you just stating shit we already know?"

"Well I mean," the car thief rushed to explain, "If he's that bad surely it can't be too hard to land him in prison for something that'll stick?"

"If it were that easy, he'd be in prison already," Mickey stated matter-of-factly.

"So let's simplify it," Amanda said, looking only at Mandy.

The Milkovich girl eyed her warily for a moment before her features softened and she actually smiled at her. Amanda smiled back and arched her brows encouragingly.

"He lands inside permanently then we're fucked, cause someone's eventually gonna notice a bunch of kids with no legal guardian. If they do that before Mandy's old enough then they're gonna fucking stick her in a piece of shit group home or something. That ain't happening." Mickey asserted firmly, he puffed out his chest and managed to dominate the room whilst still sat on the floor.

"So find a guardian?" Debbie asked hopefully.

"Got no one," Mandy muttered from across the room.

"Got no big sister to fix shit, Aunts and Uncles are as useless as they are stupid and they don't give a shit what happens to any of us. Only got each other." Joey stated soundly. No room for argument.

"Well now you've got us," Sheila chirped as she marched into the living room holding a new batch of brownies on a tray fresh from the oven.

Mickey looked around the room at all the excited and encouraging faces, he looked between Lip and Fiona, who were grinning proudly at their stubborn family. He laughed at Matty and Jimmy, who both looked like they would rather be anywhere else. He saw Ken and Vee smiling warmly at him from the corner of his eyes, then he saw them turn to each other and make googly, love sick eyes and he immediately looked away. He looked at Debbie and Carl who were too young to not have hope left and to Liam, who was struggling to get out of Jimmy's hold. Eventually the toddler freed himself and made a beeline for Mickey and Ian and dumped himself between them in what was now his seemingly favorite position in the world. Mickey looked up at Sheila, who was oblivious to it all but still aware enough to be involved, to Amanda who had known them only a select few weeks but had still managed to become invested. Then he looked between his siblings who were all making the same rounds with their eyes, eventually also fixing on each other. The wonder in their eyes at such kindness threatened to break Ian's heart as he too stared between the Milkovich horde and hoped beyond hope that they all agreed.

Mickey saw in his siblings the same thing that he felt within himself. Confusion at people giving a shit, at least caring enough to actually get involved. Warmth at the help being offered, but fear of how it could all go wrong. There was hope there in all of them though, hope that they could pull this off and actually be free. Finally able to live without hiding from shadows and the threat of constant worry.

Mickey turned to look at the one person who always made him feel strong. Gave him the answers he needed because Ian always made him feel the most like himself. He turned to look into the eyes that made everything possible. He looked for any doubt or hesitation, he looked for any worry, for fear or desperation. He found them, all of them, because as romantic as it would be to say Ian felt none of these things, he wasn't stupid. He knew what was at risk here. He knew who Terry was and what this meant for the Milkovich siblings. But Mickey smiled as he looked at the man he loved because suddenly the fear didn't matter because he remembered what he was fighting for. Ian bore his soul as he smiled back at the boy he loved more than he thought possible, and he could have cried with relief when Mickey turned and smirked at the rest of the their new found troupe and stated boldly, "OK, so lets make a plan!"


	35. We Do More Damage if we Have a Plan

Vee had just returned with the twins and Matty had managed to crawl ever closer to the door, not quite making it out yet but making considerable progress with Debbie distracted by the planning going on. Jimmy and Fiona were arguing in the kitchen, having disappeared on the pretense of getting drinks after Jimmy had made one too many derogatory and ignorant comments about the trash that lived in the South Side. Mandy, who had until recently been playing slaps with Amanda, finally returned her attention to the conversation at hand and Amanda had returned to perch on Lip's lap. The Gallagher boy was sat next to Carl on the sofa, the youngster being kept on a short leash after his latest attempt to break into Mickey's gun cabinet. Kev was helping settle his daughters into the makeshift crib Sheila had created out of cushions and blankets, the latter now standing in the door frame looking out of place yet completely comfortable at the same time. Joey and Iggy were sat on the floor next to the table, kicking out at each other between bouts of terrible ideas and Liam was fighting sleep with all the will power he possessed.

The toddler was sat on Mickey's lap, the ex-con perched on the arm of the single seated couch that Ian was nestled into. The red-head was absent-mindedly running his hands up and down his lovers back as the planning continued.

"OK, so our aunts a no, no judge would hand parental rights over to Uncle Tommy and we don't have fucking time for adoption bullshit. It won't be long till I'm old enough to leave the group home or wherever the fuck they land me Mick." Mandy explained for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Jesus, I said fucking no Mandy, that isn't an option!" The ex-con growled back, mindful not to frighten Liam.

"Well I'm sorry but I'm not seeing an alternative." The Milkovich girl shot back angrily.

"Uncle Rodney's out," Iggy chirped up suddenly, straightening his back and puffing out his chest.

"What?" Mickey asked distractedly, not having heard much after Mandy once again insisting on the group home.

"Yeah, got out yesterday." The scruffy boy explained curiously, almost unsure about whether this information was even relevant. He only knows because his douche bag dealer had run out of the good shit before Iggy could get any, apparently Rodney had cleaned him out in celebration for his freedom.

Mickey chewed his lip as he processed this new information. "He'd be better in court than Tommy," he contemplated out loud.

"Yeah, but not on paper," Joey argued, "Guys got more convictions than Terry."

"Yeah, plus he's a 'true' Milkovich," Mandy snorted, raising her hands in air quotes. "Real old school, loyal to Terry no matter what."

"Loyal to the name sure," Mickey countered, "Maybe not so much the person anymore though, considering he's just come out of a five year stretch for some shit Terry ballsed up."

"And the convictions?" Mandy protested angrily, refusing to build up hope blindly.

"Mandy, we're trash," Mickey pointed out solemnly, "No judge is gonna care that much who we end up with so long as they turn up to court and play adult reasonably convincingly. So long as they can tick off all the boxes in all the charts and cover their asses, show they did all they could for us lowly street scum kids."

"And uncle Rodney's gonna be good enough to tick those boxes?" Mandy asked incredulously.

"Well they been handing us back to Terry all these fucking years," Iggy scoffed back. Everyone who wasn't a Milkovich or Ian looked to the floor for want of anywhere better to fix their gaze. Mickey and his siblings just shrugged and nodded dolefully and Ian simple leaned a bit closer into his lovers warmth.

"OK," Iggy shouted with a clap of his hands, Lip absolutely did not jump. "So, how do we get him to agree?"

"Blackmail?" Joey offered hopefully.

"Nah, that'll just piss him off," Mickey responded firmly.

"Bribery?" Iggy asked next, not quite so hopeful.

"Got nothing he wants man," the ex-con sighed.

"Money?" Mandy offered, shoulders and arms raised and ready for business.

"Fucker doesn't want money," Mickey shot back none too gently, "He loves stealing shit," the black-haired boy proclaimed. "He could have all the money in the fucking world and he'd still just lie, cheat and steal everything he needs."

"Well fuck, I dunno Mickey," Mandy shouted back exasperatedly. "What do you want us to do then? Beg?"

"A Milkovich show weakness?" Iggy muttered sarcastically before Mickey could answer. "Fuck no!" He exclaimed dramatically.

"Then I'm all out of fucking ideas!" Mandy yelled as she stood up and shook herself free of as much of the residual anger as she could release.

"Surely he just needs a little incentive?" Lip asked in a desperate attempt to broker peace and calm down the hostile energy. "Something stronger than money?"

Mickey shook his head calmly and bit his lip into his mouth. "What he needs," the neighborhood thug contemplated out loud, "Is to come up with the idea himself."

The thoughtful silence that followed lasted only a matter of moments before Ian smirked and looked around at all the solemn faces in the room. With a devilish smile he nudged the older boy sat beside him and all but laughed, "Inception was just a movie Mick."

Mickey glared at the younger boy for a second before his eyebrows rose to his forehead and his mouth raised into a slow but steady smile. "Dick," he muttered with a laugh of his own.

"But man," the red-head continued, spurred on by Mickey's playful reaction, "Could I just eat Tom Hardy up!"

Amanda and Debbie full on swooned and giggled, Mandy scoffed and shook her head. Lip rolled his eyes and looked back to the table, where he was busy fidgeting with a previously unbroken remote. The room broke out into various wolf whistles and cat calls and Carl and Liam smiled without really knowing or caring what was so important. Joey and Iggy both looked to each other and then to their brother, slack jawed at the open flirting.

Mickey looked at the witnesses around the room and scrunched up his nose in disgust, "Jesus," he muttered darkly. The ex-con shook his head incredulously but the red-head beside him just stared him down with that same smile. "Joseph Gordon-Levitt man, fuck Tom Hardy!"

"I think that was the idea," Iggy snorted from his spot on the floor at the same time that Ian's eyes bugged out of his head with an exclamation of "Seriously?"

Mickey flipped Iggy the bird then turned to his frowning lover. "Hell yeah seriously, have you fucking seen Don Jon?"

"Do you guys actually agree on anything?" Joey laughed.

"Well now hang on," Ian mumbled placatingly, "We agree on that. Gordon-Levitt in Don Jon..." Ian all but inhaled his lower lip beneath his upper jaw, closed his eyes and practically purred. "Mmmm, just yummy!" He smiled and shook himself out of his imagined lust.

"You thinking bout food or dick there Ron Jeremy?" Mickey asked jovially, elbowing his boyfriend without dislodging Liam.

Ian just beamed up at him with a flutter of his eyelashes and whispered, "Maybe it can be both."

Lip snorted and stood up, pushing Amanda gently to the side, he mumbled his excuses of getting those damn drinks Fiona promised, before trudging to the kitchen quietly. Amanda nestled into the warmth of the recently vacated spot on the couch and Mandy charged to sit next her. Both girls giggled and sunk into the cushions innocently as Mickey scoffed at his sisters new friendship.

"So back on point," Ian smiled.

"Oh yeah cause it ain't like you're the one who diverted us," Mickey retorted playfully, to which Ian just shrugged and fluttered his, far from innocent, eyebrows.

"How do we get Rodney to agree," Joey asked quickly, before the conversation could get sidetracked again.

"You leave that to me," Mickey replied determinedly, "You just get our shithead brothers to agree."

The house was a flurry of movement for the next hour or so, ideas thrown about like confetti. Kev and Vee were the first to excuse themselves, the twins woke up and the pair had to get them home, fed and bathed. Not long after that Sheila finally ran out of warm smiles and cookie recipes so offered to take Liam back to hers until Fiona was done with the argument still going on in the kitchen, it took some convincing to get Liam off of Mickeys lap but soon both the eldest and youngest in the house had vacated happily. Matty took these departures as his permission to politely take his leave as well, of course he waited until Debbie was in the bathroom, and then, with the slowing pace Carl soon got bored, as much as he wanted to help Mickey and Ian, as soon as his plots for murder were vetoed he inevitably lost some interest. So once Debbie returned to see Matty had left, she swore under her breath and told the rest of the inhabitants off for letting him escape, she reluctantly agreed to accompany an irritable Carl safely, and carefully, home. Amanda had a train to catch but left on the promise of returning to help the next day and Lip chivalrously allowed himself to get talked into walking her to the station. Soon after that Fiona stormed through the kitchen, announcing her love and support for every one still present but not slowing down as she marched out of the house and slammed the door behind her, Jimmy plodding exhaustedly behind his girlfriend. Mandy left too, on the pretense of having some errands to run, however, the fact that she pocketed Mickey's baggy of weed before she left layed waste to this claim.

All that was left then was for Joey and Iggy to reluctantly pick themselves up and return home to face their brothers and have the conversation they were dreading having to have. How to convince two deeply homophobic young men to put aside such a strong hatred in order to help their very deeply gay brother get rid of their psychotic, and also homophobic, father, with the help of their rough-around-the-edges, ex-convict several times over, oh and also homophobic, kleptomaniac uncle.

 

-x-

 

Iggy pushed the gate of the Milkovich house open, standing to the side and gesturing gallantly for Joey to enter first, the older boy rolled his eyes and stomped ahead, doing the exact same thing at the front door. Iggy protested, however, and ultimately it was Joey who growled and entered the crumbling building first. Jamie was sat in front of the television, playing the x box and laughing as he garroted an enemy soldier.

"Hey man, you get the chips?" He mumbled, eyes only leaving the screen once the sentence had been uttered, obviously expecting to see Tony standing there.

Instead he was greeted by a very somber pair of wayward brothers whom he had barely seen for days. "We need to talk," Joey announced ominously.

"Oh shit," Jamie laughed sarcastically, "Sounds serious." He returned his eyes to the television.

"Dad's back," Joey said matter-of-factly.

Jamie's smirk dropped immediately, he stared at the game for a second before pausing it and slowly lowering the controller. After a few deep breaths he gradually turned to his brothers and raised his eyebrows in a desperate question.

"Or at least he will be," Joey explained placatingly, raising his arms as if to fight off any attack the other boy may unleash in retaliation for being scared to death.

"He's been locked up the last couple'a months," Iggy rushed to expand, before Jamie could lose interest and reattach his gaze to the console in front of him. "But he's getting out in a few days."

"Yeah?" The older boy remarked, obviously trying to hide his fear behind a veneer of nonchalance "And how d'you know he's gonna come back here?"

Iggy rolls his eyes at his brothers attempts, he lowers his gaze and fixes the other boy with a pointed look that screams 'seriously!' Jamie doesn't react though, just continues to stare at nothing in particular and hopes to all hell that the gulp he just swallowed wasn't as audible as it felt like it should have been.

"Where else would he go?" Joey asked desperately, needing this to be resolved soon so he could let Mickey know that they were all set.

Jamie glared at Joey then, shoulders raised defensively, but before he could answer, or more likely tell his brother to fuck off, Tony barreled through the front door with a belch and a food arrival announcement.

He noticed his recently absent siblings immediately and his mouth curved into a mocking smile. "Well, well, well," he sing-songed, "Look who's back to slum it at home with the rest of the trash." Another burp, if only it was an ironic one. "The fuck have you guys been?"

"Around!" Iggy yelled back defensively, angry at the lack of progress and at the knowledge of the the other boys reactions if they did find out where he and Joey had been. Frustration tingled its way up the messy-haired boys spine and he growled as he brushed his fingers through his hair and turned on the spot to face away from the other Milkovichs.

"Uh huh," Tony mumbled, not really caring either way, he deposited the chips on the table in front of a suspiciously quiet Jamie then fell onto the couch with an undignified grunt. He shoved his contemplative brother in the ribs, then stole the controller laying forgotten in his lap.

"Tone, dad's been in jail, he gets out in a few days," was Jamie's somber response.

"What?" The newcomer froze instantly, dropping the controller into his own lap and looking around his siblings for some sort of clue.

"That do-gooder cop gave us a heads up," Joey explained calmly, waving a hand to an impatiently pacing Iggy in a bid to ease the other boys tension.

"Well you reckon he's gonna come back here?" Tony shouted back, waving an accusing hand at his brother as he flung himself to his feet desperately.

"Well shit," Iggy bellowed back sarcastically, pushing the bigger boy away from Joey and moving to stand between them, "I dunno Tone," he mocked sweetly, "I reckon there's, maybe, a chance!"

Tony growled at Iggy and took an aggressive step forward, only stopping when Joey sidestepped his little brother and pushed the other boy back. Jamie shot to his feet to stand amongst his brothers and yelled to no one in particular the question that everyone had asked at some point or other today. "Well what the fuck are we supposed to do now?"

Silence reigned as all four Milkovich boys tried to regain their composure and collect there flaring tempers. Iggy ran another shaking hand through his hair as he all but paced in circles, Joey rubbed his eyes tiredly and stepped back until his legs hit the coffee table and he sank down onto it. Jamie stared between the two of them for a moment before turning to pick up his neglected beer and Tony marched off to the kitchen with a huff to get a beer of his own.

"Jesus," he snarked under his breath as he came back to the living room, "None of this would be happening right now if it weren't for that fucking faggot."

"What was that?" Iggy growled defensively, stepping toward Tony again. Joey sighed and raised himself to his feet again, stepping toward an unpredictable Iggy.

"Which bit?" Jamie answered when Tony just stared at his brother in confusion, obviously not understanding why he was reacting so aggressively. "The bit about Mickey being a fucking faggot?" He taunted, obviously looking for a reaction. "Or the bit about all this being his fault?" He scoffed, gesturing around them and the shit they are in with a wild swinging of his hands.

"You shut your fucking mouth!" Iggy fumed back, turning his death glare unapologetically to Jamie.

"Woh," Tony blanched, raising his hands in mock surrender, "What the hell's crawled up your ass?"

Joey tapped Iggy on the shoulder and shook his head tentatively, his younger brother exhaled tiredly and shook his head but he reluctantly backed down.

"Just shut the fuck up OK," Joey implored, his own voiced dripping with exhaustion.

"What?" Jamie shouted again, "Am I wrong?"

"You're not wrong Jamie," Joey snorted, desperately trying to ease the friction between his siblings, "You're just an Asshole!" He finished with a proud smirk.

"No, he ain't wrong," Jamie agreed, ignoring the attempt at levity, "Mickey started all this shit. This is all happening because that queer son of a bitch decided to start some shit and drag us all into it."

Iggy lost it at that, he turned to his ignorant brothers and thrust his finger, defiantly, at Tony, "No," he all but screamed, "This is fucking happening because our psycho, piece of shit, fucking father raped our little sister!"

All boys froze then. Silence of thought eclipsed all of the pent up anger as each brother remembered back to the day that Mandy had dropped the bombshell that they had failed to protect her from the one person she need protection from the most. Both Joey and Jamie opened their mouths to speak several times before closing them again without making a sound. All four stood in a circle, fists clenched at their sides but with no desire to lash out at anyone present. Eventually Iggy sighed and broke away from the group to sink down on the couch and sag into the cushions.

"Mickey may have led the charge," Joey sighed, resolute but at the same time weary, "But we were all there, and now we are all in this shit. And, as usual," He continued, with added further, "Our little brother, who just so happens to be gay, has come through for us and figured out a plan to save our asses."

"You've seen Mickey?" Jamie asked, forgoing everything else and sounding a weird mix of either disgusted and, maybe, hurt or vulnerable.

"Where the fuck do you think we've been going almost everyday for the last couple of weeks?" Iggy scoffed humorlessly from the couch.

"You like pole smokers now?" Tony remarked with an almost forced sort of heat masking his shock.

"I don't give a shit who sticks what where, so long as they don't expect me to join in." Joey replied honestly, anticipating the angry reaction of his homophobic siblings. He raised his hand to cut off their rants and exhaled a deep breath. "If you're asking if I like Mickey now?" He continued firmly, "Even though he's queer? Well fuck you!" He scorned, glaring to cut off any retort his brothers might try to make. "I love him," he asserted proudly, "I love my brother, bent or not. Mandy was right, he's still just Mickey. The same Mickey who's been fighting our battles for us for as long as I can remember and I don't care who he loves or who he fucks cause he's still the same Mickey who'd take a bullet for any one of us without hesitation. Let's face it, he's a better Milkovich than any of us." He smiled down at the ground at the thought of his younger brother, who's never acted his age since the day he learned how to tell the world to fuck off. "He's also our only chance of getting out of this shit show with Terry intact and you know it. So you wanna hear his plan or not?"

Iggy beamed as he watched his brother finish his speech. Tony and Jamie stood speechless and unmoving, staring open mouthed at a defiant Joey, who puffed out his chest and held himself in a manner that promised to fight back to the death if they had anything to say back to his words, a manner that reminded them both of Mickey.

"What he said," Iggy smiled, standing and walking over to stand next to his brother proudly, arms crossed around his chest and filled with more energy than he had been all day.

 

-x-

 

"Well looky who we have here," Rodney laughed as Mickey pushed open the doors to his regular drinking venue.

"Rodney, or do I still get to call you Uncle?" Mickey remarked back, not hesitating in his movements to cross the floor and take the seat next to the older man.

"You still a fag?" Rodney scoffed back callously.

"It something you can turn on and off?"

"Don't know what sorta sick fuck would turn it on if it was," the older ex-con snarked before taking an unapologetic swig of his beer.

Mickey gestured to the bartender for a drink of his own and waited in silence for it to be poured.

"Guess that answers your question then, so you mind answering one of mine?" The young man asked kindly.

"Depends, you gonna ask for my hand in marriage?" The sarcasm in his voice did little to hide the disgust so Mickey just inhaled slowly and composed himself before speaking again, his voice always remaining neutral.

"Old and angry ain't my type."

"Nah, it's young and red for you, ain't it?"

"You wanna keep up the chit chat or you wanna get to the point of my little visit, get this over with quickly?" Mickey retorted dryly.

"So you ain't just here to catch up with your favourite Uncle?" Rodney drawled mockingly.

"Figured if I don't have a father anymore, kinda meant I didn't have any uncles either," Mickey said back instantly, voice still completely passive.

Rodney snorted and nodded his head toward his, admittedly once favourite, nephew and motioned with his arm for him to continue.

"Terry's a piece of shit, you know it as well as I do," Mickey stated matter-of-factly.

"That your question?" His uncle retorted back.

"My question is how long he gotta treat you like a pussy before you say to hell with it and just bend over for the son of a bitch?"

Rodney snorted out a startled laugh, smacking his hand onto his knees and looking up at Mickey through surprised, and threatening, eyes.

"You got a point or a death wish?" The older man asked, voice laced with a humorous venom.

"Maybe I got both," the younger ex-con sighed, "Or maybe I'm just sick of being the black fucking sheep when I've done nothing but fight for this shit stain family since I was old enough to walk and he's done nothing but screw us all over time and time again."

Rodney drained his beer and ordered another one, looking to Mickey with a sneer and a smirk, then looking back to his new beverage and draining half of it in one swig. "Havin' a little pity party there are we Mick?" The older man slurred.

"Fuck you, man," the younger man snorted back.

"There a reason you're telling me this?"

"Maybe I do have that death wish," Mickey exhaled, drinking and swilling his drink somberly. "Or maybe I'm just making the rounds, not that it matters much anymore."

"Fuck does that mean?" Rodney scoffed, Mickey just shook his, resigned to his fate.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter, found out you were out, figured you were the only member of my family who hadn't gotten to tell me how fucking disgusting I was so I guess this is me giving you the chance."

Rodney creased his brow and stared at the youngster beside for a second, "Fuck you going on about, you want me to tell you to fuck off, that why you're here?"

"Gluten for punishment maybe," Mickey faux explained back.

"You're fucking weird kid," Rodney snorted again, laughing to himself.

Mickey forced a laugh too, nodding his head in agreement as he stared into his emptying bottle. "Well, like I said, doesn't matter now."

"Yeah, you keep saying, and what exactly does that fucking mean?"

"Dad's out Wednesday, and just who do you suppose he's gonna be paying a visit to first?"

Rodney nodded in understanding, "Yup, tough break kid," he muttered coldly. "Must've seen that one coming though, can't go round sticking your prick up other dudes when your dad's Terry Milkovich."

The older man snorted in amusement and Mickey rolled his eyes at his uncles stupidity before he decided to amp up his lost, scared, kid act.

"Yeah, well wouldn't be so fucking bad if it was just me," he all but whined.

"Fuck does that mean? Your brothers fags too?" Rodney guffawed, disgust written all over his face.

"No," Mickey said through gritted teeth, hands white-knuckled around the bottle he had almost completely drained. "But they got involved in all this shit so they may as we fucking be, Terry wants us all dead."

Rodney laughed again and Mickey gulped down the last of his beer, not ordering another despite his craving to just keep drinking. "And what'd your shit head brothers do to piss off dear old dad?"

"Well Joey threatened to kill him," Mickey announced, trying to hide the pride behind a wall of disgust or fear, "The rest backed him up, threatened to shop him to the cops and ran him outta town."

Rodney almost choked on his beer, he let out another ridiculous laugh as he asked "Why the fuck did you do that? Fucking stupid sons of bitches."

"Figured we'd buy ourselves some time, figure out a plan for when he came back, how to get rid for good."

"Yeah, hows that going?"

"Well he's out Wednesday, we got nothing, and I'm making the rounds of all my screwed up family saying some sort of fucked up goodbye."

"That what this is?" Rodney asked with a disbelieving grin splitting his face.

Mickey just mumbled in response, nodding humorlessly and swaying the empty bottle in his hands.

"Why the fuck did you try to chase out the big bad wolf?" Rodney asked then, still laughing to himself.

"He raped Mandy."

Rodney froze instantly, beered hand only half way to his mouth. He stared straight ahead for a few moments before he turned to his nephew to look for any signs of dishonesty. "Shit," he mumbled when he saw Mickey's genuine anger and guilt. "Crazy son of a bitch."

"Yeah," Mickey scoffed, "But it shouldn't be a surprise, I mean, he screwed you over too right?" The younger man asked innocently, planting the seed he hoped Rodney would draw from naturally.

"Christ, man I told him he needed to get himself some regular pussy," Rodney muttered, still bemused by the revelation but not nearly as outraged as Mickey had thought, and hoped, he'd be. "But his own fucking daughter," the last bit was asked like a question, one that Mickey didn't have an answer too so the young Milkovich leaned further onto the bar and finally motioned for a new beer.

"No wonder you kids went off on him," his drunken uncle piped up again after a few moments of near silent rambling.

"Everyone's got a reason to go against Terry," Mickey replied honestly.

"Yeah," Rodney agreed with a shrug and a laugh that suggested Mickey's words were an understatement. "But most people don't have the balls to do it."

"Well I guess that proves you can be a fucking fag and still have bigger balls than most," the raven-haired boy asserted glumly, needing to steer this conversation back onto Rodney but knowing better than to force the issue.

The graying man just snorted rudely and mumbled a patronizing, "Whatever you say kid," before leaving his stool and marching to the toilets.

Mickey slumped onto the bar and muttered a slew of insults into his forearm. The bartender cautiously deposited a beer in front of him then asked if his friend wanted another, the ex-con snorted but nodded and seriously considered just dropping a few pills into his uncles drink. To what end he didn't know, but it'd be fun to watch.

-x-

"So what the fuck did you mean before?" Came Rodney's gruff voice, storming back to his usual bar-stool as he unsteadily did up his trousers and belt.

"Which bit? Said a lot man."

"How the fuck did your dad screw me over?"

Mickey started at that, he turned to his uncle with his eyebrows raised but was surprised to see actual confusion written all over his aging features. "You don't know?" Mickey asked carefully.

"Know what?" Rodney was defensive and Mickey was quick to raise a hand in surrender.

"You gotta know dad was the one who fucked up that robbery you were busted for?" The tattooed boy asked softly, not wanted to be the messenger that gets shot in this particular scenario.

Rodney didn't answer, just glared in front of him and downed his beer, immediately reaching for the replacement Mickey had ordered and making a large dent in that one too. Eventually the older man turned his glare to Mickey with his eyebrows scrunched in question so Mickey, startled but encouraged by this development, explained in great detail how Terry had fucked up the nights. He'd arranged the robbery thinking he had an in with the security but when he realised the guard who owed him a favour wasn't on the night in question it was too late to rearrange. He didn't wanna call the entire thing off, there was still a chance they could succeed, so he let Rodney go in without him, giving some bullshit excuse that he had to watch the road for patrols and when the police turned up he bolted, leaving Rodney to take the rap.

"Bullshit," Rodney growled, still glaring a Mickey with a murderous look in his eyes.

"Come on man, what about what I just said doesn't sound like something that prick would do?" Mickey knew he was pushing but he needed to get a reaction from the older man, he needed to provoke him.

"Bullshit!" Rodney shouted as he threw himself to his feet. He stared down at Mickey with an intense hatred in his eyes but Mickey was defiant. He held the other mans gaze steadily, turning on his stool but not standing. Rodney searched his nephews face for any signs of a lie or an exaggeration but he found none and then he remembered back to the excuses Terry had for not being in the cell next to him the night that he got arrested. One bullshit excuse after another that Rodney was too busy being pissed at the cops to notice. "FUCK!" He yelled, raising his fist dramatically and throwing it as hard as he could at the beer bottle in front of him. He swung hit after hit, yelling profanities the entire time, smashing bottles and upending stools. Aside from a select few, obvious outsiders, the locals seemed oblivious to Rodney's fit of rage, the bartender sighed but carried on his tasks without break or pause. The pool game in the corner continued uninterrupted and most of the patrons kept drinking and simply avoided looking at the deranged man. Mickey, however, had no where else he wanted to look. He needed to see the anger, he needed to know how far he could push his fraying uncle, he needed to know he had back-up against his dad.

 

-x-

 

"Ian, quit pacing, you're making me tired," Mandy commanded from her seat at the Gallagher kitchen.

"I can't fucking help it alright," Ian sulked back, "He shoulda let us know what's going on by now."

Mandy continued flipping the pages of her magazine slowly, barely listening anymore after having gone through this same conversation at least three times in as many minutes. Ian was doing laps of the Gallagher kitchen, he had started doing laps of his own kitchen after Mickey had left to face his uncle alone, insisting it was more of a risk if anyone else tagged along. Eventually Mandy had come back over to pick up her phone and found a restless Ian in serious danger of wearing out the already overstretched flooring, she'd slapped her best friends head and told him to stop his bloody worrying, then taken him out in order to distract him. Unfortunately his worrying didn't subside when shoved into the outside world, it merely got louder and more paranoid, like everyone they passed knew a secret to Mickey's whereabouts, which he refused to tell anyone as he, rightly, assumed the red-head would no doubt end up following after him given half the chance. After a solid hour of Mandy explaining that not everyone was a spy of Terry's, she'd finally grown tired and brought Ian to the Gallagher house in a second attempt to distract him. Turns out that wasn't such a good plan either as Jimmy and Fiona were barricaded upstairs, their still raging argument the only thing to be heard over Ian's constant footfalls. Debbie and Carl weren't back from Sheilas, at least that's where Mandy assumed they went after leaving Ian and Mickey's place, Sheila probably offered them more brownies. Lip was fuck knows where and so Mandy was still alone with Ian, Ian was still fretting, Mickey was still not answering his phone and Ian was still driving her crazy, the only difference was the setting.

"Why hasn't he called back? Text? Anything?" Ian asked desperately.

"I dunno Ian," Mandy groaned back, "He's probably still in the middle of things, Rodney was never gonna be easy to convince."

"And why the fuck did he have to go alone?"

"Jesus Christ, because it wouldn't have helped if he hadn't!" Mandy tried not to shout, she really did, but her patience was wearing thin.

"So your recently outed brother has gone off to confront your highly homophobic uncle, on his own, and you're not the slightest bit concerned?" Ian yelled back.

"Ian, I love you, but shut the fuck up for a bit OK?" Mandy pleaded, "Of course I'm concerned but there really was no alternative, I mean what was he gonna do? Take his boyfriend along for back up, that really woulda helped win Rodney over wouldn't it?"

"At least I'd know where the fuck he was!"

"He's fine, have some faith in him OK?"

"I have faith in Mickey," Ian all but shouted back defensively, "It's the rest of the Terry generation of Milkovichs I have a problem with."

Mandy sighed and ran a hand through her hair, she reluctantly disengaged from her magazine and turned to face Ian, slouching further into her chair. "Ian, Mickey's fine, he can take care of himself, you know that better than anyone. Plus he isn't stupid, he'll have tracked Rodney down in a nice crowded place, lots of witnesses, zero chance of death by homophobe."

Ian stared at his friend, biting his lip and frowning in thought. After a few nods of his head the young soldier exhaled deeply and rubbed at his eyes. "Yeah I know," he mumbled tiredly. "Just get antsy whe-"

"Yeah," Mandy interrupted, turning back to her magazine with a smirk, "When he's out of groping distant for more the two minute, I know. It's sappy and disgusting."

Ian snorted and sank onto one of the stools beside the counter, resting his elbows on the hard surface and holding his head in his hands.

When Lip charged into the kitchen several minutes later and immediately asked why Mickey wasn't back yet, Ian groaned sadly and started pacing again and Mandy threw her magazine at Lip's head.

When Mickey casually strolled in through the living room a few hours later and asked if anyone had seen his phone, Mandy laughed openly and Ian threw cushion at his head.

Of course, he then pounced on his lover and kissed him passionately, not giving him the chance to explain how the meeting had gone.

 

-x-

 

"We're just here to talk about Terry," Jamie announced as he followed Joey and Iggy into Mickey and Ian's living room.

Mickey was perched on the coffee table in front of an agitated Ian, the red-head was sat on the couch leaning forward into Mickey's space, their hands just millimeters apart. The ex-con turned at the sound of his brother's voice and tried to school his features back to neutral. Ian tensed and looked to straight to Mickey, hoping to offer support to the older man, who he knew was struggling to be both so close to and so far from two people he loved so much. Two people that hated the whole of him for one element of who he was. Two people who were now stood behind the sofa with matching scowls and arms folded tightly across their puffed up chests.

Iggy and Joey sighed and moved to sit down either side of Ian on the sofa, offering their own support to Mickey through their obvious accepting of his relationship. Mandy smirked at Jamie and Tony's frustration but made no move to speak, or to offer her seat - which was a safe enough distance from Mickey that the two homophobes wouldn't have to worry about catching anything. Lip coughed to make his presence known as he moved from the kitchen to lean in the doorway, showing the two outside Milkovich boys that they truly were outmatched and outgunned.

"He's not getting out," Mickey stated calmly, choosing to focus his gaze on the two brothers who didn't want him dead.

"What?" Jamie asked, obviously outraged. "So this was what? Just some sort of ploy to get us the fuck over here to this shithole?"

Tony unfolded his arms to balance his hands on his hips threateningly but Mickey just rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. "He was gonna be getting out Wednesday but we took steps to make sure that doesn't happen."

"What steps?" Jamie scorned back angrily.

Mickey looked back between Joey and Iggy, who both looked equal parts confused and relieved. "Rodney told me who dad must be sharing a cell block with, some guy he shopped to police a couple of years ago to get him out of the way of this big drug deal going down that Terry wanted in on. So Rodney made a few phone calls and now Jameson, or whatever his fucking name is, is about to find out exactly why he's doing a ten year stretch."

"So what?" Tony scoffed, "You think dad's gonna be brought down by this guy?"

"No," Mickey said patiently, looking up to face his angry older siblings with no shame or indignity. "I think this guy is gonna start shit and Terry's gonna finish it, or him, and then he's gonna land himself in solitary."

"That's it?" Jamie asked incredulously, "That's your big fucking plan."

"Better 'an any you came up with!" Iggy shouted back.

"No that just buys some time," Mickey said, still maintaining his veneer of calm.

"Time for what?" Tony asked, still angry and rapidly losing patience.

"Went down to the station, met with that do-gooder cop. Between the shit I knew already and the names Rodney gave me, he does a little diggin' and he'll have enough to put Terry away for a long time." Mickey tried to keep his voice as reassuring as possible. It must have worked because a slow, cautious smile started to spread across Joey's lips and Iggy looked up for the first time since the conversation started and his eyes were glowing with hope.

"You grassed?" Jamie roared indignantly.

"Yes I fucking grassed," Mickey shouted back unapologetically, "That piece of shit was gonna come back here and ruin all of our fucking lives so damn right I grassed, if that's what you wanna call giving some boy scout cop a couple of names to dig into, I did what I had to do to make sure we all get to keep breathing and keep smiling!"

Jamie's mouth snapped shut but his eyes didn't soften, Tony looked to the brother stood beside him then refolded his arms and mirrored the other boys expression perfectly.

"What about Mandy?" Iggy asked, softly in comparison to Jamie's inputs.

"Cop's gonna put a word in with the judge, got a meeting with him next Monday about Rodney getting custody, just for fucking show of course." Mickey smiled encouragingly at his sister, who seemed to be as cautiously optimistic as Iggy and Joey were.

"He agreed?" Joey finally piped up.

"He suggested," Mickey corrected with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Ian snorted happily, then smiled at his boyfriend, fighting against himself and his desire to just reach out and touch him, he didn't want to make more of a barrier between Mickey and his still wayward siblings, he may hate the two prejudiced thugs but he knew that Mickey didn't, that Mickey never could.

"Anything to get back at Terry right?" Iggy laughed.

"Now there's good old fashioned Milkovich loyalty." Lip sassed from his position propping up the door frame.

"Hey fuck you," Mickey retorted, still smirking, "We're working on it."

"So what the fuck did you need us for?" Jamie shouted rudely.

"You gotta be there Monday, we gotta do whatever looks good for the judge," Mickey dropped the smile that had been threatening to break free and looked back to his angry brothers solemnly. He knew it was stupid to miss something that hated him so much but he couldn't help it. He loved his family and he missed his brothers. He still felt like he was missing a limb or something, not having them there. He'd prepared himself to see them again, to know they wouldn't be close, but to see their hatred so pure and so open, well it hurt more than he knew how to analyse.

"Fuck them," Mandy said before either Jamie or Tony could respond. "I don't want them there."

"Mands-" Mickey tried to say placatingly but his strong willed little sister just cut him off ferociously.

"No seriously, fuck them," she all but yelled, gesturing to her standing brothers but not looking at them, "You been busting your ass all day, doing shit you'd never do, risking every-fucking-thing as per usual, all to keep their asses safe and still they look at you like you're nothing. Like you're the fucking bad guy here, not Terry, who ten minutes ago they thought was gonna kill them in a couple of days."

"It doesn't matter," Mickey started again but his voice was hollow and pained, Ian fought against every thing he had, every desire building up inside of him to just hold and squeeze his lovers hand. Instead he smiled as warm a smile as he could muster at the man he loved, knowing instinctively that in his time of vulnerability Mickey would be looking at him and him alone, he was right.

"Yeah it fucking does," Iggy countered, rising from his seat and resting his hand on Ian's shoulder comfortingly, seeing the tension in the red-heads shoulders and guessing exactly what the other boy was struggling against doing. He glared at his brothers resolutely, "You think you hate him but you don't. Terry hates him. But Terry's a fucking idiot and hates all of us now. He thinks we're scum right? Well you gonna agree with him about that too?"

Tony's eyebrows pinched together in confusion and Jamie looked away from every one in the room. Mickey's eyes remained on Ian.

"Terry says fags are sick fucks, perverts, animals, and we believed him," Joey explained, not bothering to stand up or even turn around, he just kept looking solemnly to the floor. "But why? He also says we're useless, he right about that too? Or Mandy, what he did to her?"

Mandy lowered her gaze, in embarrassment or sadness Lip didn't know but either way he moved from his position by the door to sit on the arm of the chair she was sprawled across. She didn't look up at him but when his hand reached out to rub her knee affectionately, her muscles visibly relaxed.

"Was that OK too, cause Terry said so?" Joey continued, resigned to the fact that it was probably falling on deaf ears.

"Hell no!" Iggy answered matter-of-factly.

"No," Joey confirmed, "So how come he was wrong about all the rest of that shit but right about fags, like they're all disgusting just because he said so yet he's the son of a bitch who's done nothing but piss on us his our whole fucking lives. Mickey on the other hand, yeah he's a fag, hasn't stopped him taking hits for family all these years, even after we treated him like shit. I mean seriously? That doesn't make you think you might be wrong about him? You really don't miss him at all?"

Silence.

Mickey's heart was beating faster than was probably healthy, he looked down to the floor to hide the desperation that was in his eyes and all he wanted to do was hold onto Ian and let the other boy fill him with the strength he seemed to exude so naturally. The strength to not need his brothers to answer that question, to brush off their disgust and live on like it didn't matter because he had Ian and he had family and he had a life worth living now. But he couldn't. He was frozen, in doubt and in fear and in no doubt that the next words uttered by either of his estranged siblings had the power to break him. He inhaled deeply and exhaled just as fast, making sure not to make a sound, content to add to the silence that was threatening to consume him. Then it happened. Then he felt it. A hand that he knew better than his own. Ian's hand in his and suddenly he could breath again. Breath and cry and pray and hope and fear.

Then the silence was broken.


	36. Awkward is the New Perfect!

Lip's ringtone blared into the silence of the room. "Shit," he huffed quickly, fumbling to get his phone out of his pocket. "Sorry," he scrambled, waving a hand at the rest of the people present, "I'm just gonna..." he continued, raising the hand with the phone in it to gesture to the other room. "Yeah, so..." he mumbled as he accepted the call without looking away from the tense crowd, "I'll just... Ummm..." Raising the phone awkwardly to his ear as he slowly turned toward the kitchen, the scruffy haired boy muttered a quick "As you were," before scarpering into the safety of the other room.

"Yes Fi... I know... Yes, sorry... Well went to Ian and Mickey's place... Because you were busy... Look, there's no need to worry... No it's all good... Yeah I know... No Fi, it's fine... I know... I'm sure he was gonna ring you... No we didn't leave a note... Because we kinda just left... Well the good weed was here... Because if we brought it back there then Carl would try hogging it... Don't be naive Fi... Well anyway, even if he failed you and Vee wouldn't... Yes I know... I'll tell him... Yes... Jesus Fi... Yes, I just said so... Look I gotta go... Because I gotta go... Fi, no... Fi, I'm going now... FI, I gotta go... Fi, I can't hear you... Losing signal... Going through a tunnel Fi, can't talk now, batteries dying... No hablan Ingles... HANGING UP NOW FI!"

"God damn it," Lip sighed tiredly as he hung up the phone and slid it into his pocket, turning slowly and walking back into the living room. He stopped, frozen in the doorway as his eyes searched the other occupants of the room, all still stood silent and tense, most of them now looking straight at him. "Oh," he said clumsily, "This still going on?"

Mandy scoffed as Ian groaned and Joey and Iggy cursed. Mickey though, Mickey sighed and stood from his seat on the table. "Look, just say what you gotta say, do what you gotta do. I'm here and I ain't gonna fight back..."

Without word or hesitation Jamie stepped forward and swung a punch that caught Mickey square in the face. No sooner had his fist raised before Ian was rising from his own seat, Mandy throwing herself forward from where she was stood and Iggy propelling himself toward his hate filled sibling. Mickey pushed Ian back down, Lip darted at Mandy and held the furious girl back and Joey clamped his hand on Iggy's shoulder to halt his progress. Jamie raised his fist again as Mandy fumed and swore and threatened death from where she was being held by a nervous and struggling Lip. Ian was biting back his own murderous desires, but just barely, nearly biting a hole through his lip through want of hurting the man who was hurting Mickey. The red-heads hands were gripping the chair beneath him so hard he felt like his fingers would break from the tension, his eyes bulged out and staring murderously ahead of him, unblinking and desperately angry. Iggy, understanding why Joey had held him back but not liking it one bit, wanted nothing more than to stand and fight on Mickey's behalf but instead, he kept his seat and he kept his calm.

3 hits, 4 hits, a fifth caught his jaw but nothing much else, a sixth landed solidly below his ear. Mickey didn't blink, didn't retaliate, didn't go down. Jamie was swearing the whole time, his shouted words barely intelligible over Mandy's hurled abuse and Ian's gritted and grinding teeth. Eventually it was Tony who stepped forward and grabbed onto his control-less brother, gripping his shirt and yanking him back. Jamie swung again and missed, before turning to push Tony away from him. Once free he immediately stepped back up to Mickey, one fist clenched and raised and ready, as the other held firmly onto Mickey's shirt to keep him in place. Mickey didn't try to move though, didn't try to back away, didn't quiver or plead, didn't blink. But the contact of the primed and ready fist never came, Jamie stood before his queer brother for what must have been minutes. Fist aimed and ready. The two boys stared straight into each others eyes as Jamie breathed heavily in a bid to control his surge of anger. Tony approached again, slowly this time, cautiously raising his hand to tap on Jamie's shoulder and with the touch the spell was broken. Jamie pushed himself away from an emotionless Mickey, releasing another string of curse words as he swung around to lean against the back of the sofa for support, erratic breathing finally drowning out Mandy's wavering threats.

Mickey closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, a cut and bruise forming above his eyes and a trickle of blood from his nose. He'd had worse beatings than that, worse from Jamie even, his brother had been holding back.

"We used to be your fucking family!" Jamie shouted into the silence. Mickey tilted his still closed eyes to the ceiling. "What the fuck happened to that huh?" Jamie continued, turning to face the tattooed ex-con again, but making no move to advance on him. "What the fuck happened to us being your family?"

Mickey eyes slowly opened as he let out a dry, and angry, laugh. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he all but whispered, "I chose this?" He yelled back just as loud as his brother had shouted to him, he gestured between them as he took a small step forward.

"You chose HIM!" The other boy declared scornfully.

"Over dad, not over you!" The ex-con returned angrily.

"We were part of that choice!"

"Well we shouldn't have been!" Iggy shouted back before Mickey could respond, The dirty-haired boy stood from his seat and spun to face his two bigoted brothers determinedly.

Jamie looked desperately between the three brothers in front of him, obviously fighting to understand how the hell he was in the wrong here. Eventually the troubled boy sighed and all but growled out his frustrations. "Right or wrong," he said looking to the floor, "He knew what would happen. He knew how we felt and how we would react and he still chose him." He finished with a quick look towards Ian, who was still sat with his back to the room, unable to turn around when the desire to deck the asshole was still so strong.

"Jesus Christ..." Mandy exclaimed from where she had stilled in Lip's hold.

"Over US!" Jamie reaffirmed, snapping his eyes to his seething sister. "He chose that person, over us. Gay... Straight... Who gives a fuck! I have never chosen a girl over my fucking brothers!"

Ian scoffed incredulously, but Mickey's eyes softened and he felt remorse overcome his anger.

"No ones ever made you choose," Iggy argued desperately.

"So? I still know I'd pick family. Real fucking family. Every single fucking time!"

"Ian is family," Iggy proclaimed gently, gently but proud.

"No, he's fucking not!" Jamie yelled back defensively.

"Yes, he is," Joey answered boldly, standing and facing his ferocious siblings without an ounce of doubt. "And you know shit about who you'd choose. You think you know, but you can't know." Joey had thought the same thing when he first found out about Mickey, he'd been hurt and determined that he would have been able to always put family first. But the time spent around his younger brother and the man he loved, the time spent watching them just be together unapologetically, but with a longing that even being together couldn't seem to fully sedate, the time spent watching them apart and seeing two halves of the men they are together, this time showed Joey that he really didn't have a clue. He'd never loved like that before, probably never would, didn't know if he was even brave enough to try, didn't think he even wanted to be. But if that sort of love did come along then he has no doubt that there wouldn't even be a choice. That choice would have been taken out of his hands the minute he looked into the eyes of that person and saw the hurt they'd experience if you left them. If Mickey left Ian, chose his siblings, chose his old life, it would crush the red-head, as it would crush Mickey. Beyond recognition. What kind of option is that?

"What fucking difference does it make?" Jamie retorted, "So what? I didn't have to choose... Mickey did... He knew he'd lose us but he did it anyway..."

"Christ Jamie," Iggy all but whined, frustrated beyond belief that the other boy seemed unable to comprehend anything but the black and white.

"No, he's right," Mickey interrupted. His voice was tired and resigned, his eyes were focused on the carpet beneath his feet and his mind was wandering the depths of his memories, filling with regret at every missed opportunity to show his brothers how much they meant to him. "I knew it," he confirmed sadly, "Didn't wanna think about it. Tried to convince myself it wouldn't happen but I knew it would and he's right, I chose Ian anyway."

"Yeah and I get that Mick, I get why and I don't fucking blame you," Iggy protested earnestly.

"Doesn't mean he has to feel the same," The raven-haired boy sighed. "Doesn't mean he even has to try. I get it, I'd be angry too..."

"Remember that kid who used to hang around the house all the time? Billy or Brady... Bobby, or something?" Tony piped up out of nowhere.

All eyes shot to the previously silent boy. Mickey inhaled again and nodded with an uneasy half smile, kinda just happy to have one of them talk without hatred in their voice. Mandy's face darkened immediately, though, at the mention of that particular person.

"You guys were like best friends for ages, till Mandy got jealous and accused him of touching her up."

"Hey fuck you," the Milkovich girl spat.

"What, he didn't fucking touch you," Jamie agreed cockily.

"Yeah and you tried to tell us that," Tony continued, talking directly to Mickey once again. "All we wanted to do was kick the shit out of the guy, didn't really care if it was true or not. He was your best friend, but you chose us that time," the older said simply, "What's different now?"

Mickey rolled his eyes sadly, unable to think of any feasible way to explain. He groaned and shuffled his feet, looking to the ceiling again before shrugging desperately and looking back to the lesser hostile brother. "I can't fucking explain it man, it's not like I wanted to lose you guys. I just always figured we'd be OK in the end, ya know. Like, we're the fucking Milkovich brothers, no shit can break us, not really. Before, with Billy, it didn't fucking matter. I mean he didn't fucking matter, I figured we'd lose touch eventually anyway so what was the problem, ya know?" Mickey reminisced with a shrug, not even trying to push his point anymore, just explaining as simply as he could. Mandy had dropped the fake affronted stance at the accusation, mostly because it was true, and turned to her brother with an apology in her eyes that she realised he wasn't even looking for. Ian finally turned around to face the room, eyeing Mickey warily to make sure he was OK, longing to touch and hold and kiss but keeping his distance and settling for listening to him speak openly.

Jamie's face was still hard and cold but he was listening and Tony was holding him back from any interruptions with a hand latched to his shoulder.

"But this is Ian," he laughed dryly. "Ian fucking Gallagher." Lip scoffed at the incredulous tone Mickey's voice had taken, even Ian smiled slightly, looking at his toes for a moment in order to hide a blush at the recognition of his importance to the other man. "I didn't want him to matter, to be so damn important. I didn't wanna be this fucking person. God knows I pushed him away, kept fucking pushing him away. But he just kept coming back, or if he didn't then I'd fucking pull him back without meaning to or wanting to or even knowing I was doing it..." Silence once again reigned as Mickey tried to collect his thoughts and no one else dared to interrupt.

"Fuck..." The frustrated boy growled, running his hands down his face and willing the words to just spill from his lips already. "I could't get away from him, I couldn't fucking stop it, and eventually I stopped wanting to."

Jamie's scowl intensified at that but Tony's hand clamped harder onto his shoulder and so neither said a word.

"It felt so fucking good, better that I deserved, man, I didn't even know if it was real half the time. Then dad walked in on us and it all went to shit."

Ian tensed and Mandy slumped. Lip lost all sense of superiority and Joey and Iggy instantly filled with something akin to regret. Mickey continued.

"He walked in and went fucking ape-shit. I thought he was gonna kill me, but that was fine, I just had to make sure Ian was OK, that's when I knew, ya know, that's when I realised there was no going back. When dad walked in and I could give a shit what he did to me as long as Ian got out OK, and he did. And I agreed to everything dad wanted. I was gonna marry some bitch and knock her up and live the perfect little apple-fucking-pie life and everything would be fan-fucking-tastic. That's the choice I made Tone, give up Ian and keep my family. But I didn't make it for the same reasons I did with Billy. I made it because that was the only way to keep him safe from Terry."

Mandy was all but crying at the thought of the suffering their father had inflicted on all of them through the years, Lip was angry for the past struggles of his brother, struggles he'd been too preoccupied to help him deal with. Joey and Iggy were shocked, hearing the depth of the truth for the first time and having whatever regret they held for not being there for Mickey intensified with every word their brother spoke. Jamie's anger had not dissipated, but a new emotion had started to creep into his eyes, a sort of confusion that could mean either good or bad things for Mickey, so the ex-con pressed on honestly, knowing there was no backing out now.

"Until it wasn't. Terry was gonna kill him, he paid the bitch he was forcing me to marry to spy on him, to tell him when Ian was alone at the shop and when he was Terry went round there and he was gonna fucking kill him. And when I realised what he was gonna do, I'm sorry Jamie, Tone, I am, but I wasn't thinking about you, or Joey and Ig, or Mandy or anyone else. All that mattered was stopping Terry from getting to Ian cause nothing made sense with him gone. I fucking love him, OK, and I'd die before I let anyone hurt him. Just like I'd die for any fucking one of you. So I did what I had to do and I told Terry to go to hell and he took the choice away from me but you know what?" Mickey said, voice suddenly louder, lighter somehow. "I don't regret it, I don't fucking regret it one bit. I wouldn't change what I did, I wouldn't go back if I had the chance and I don't expect you to understand but it wasn't for nothing. You gotta know that. I didn't wanna lose you guys, but I did, I get that but it wasn't for nothing, it wasn't for fucking Billy, some kid who was just gonna disappear someday anyway. This is Ian, he's it for me, we're it. This," he motioned between him and the stunned but smiling red-head, "This is real and its forever, its gotta be, cause its everything. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Mickey was pleading now, he knew he was but he felt no shame because he knew how his brothers worked, knew if it hadn't been for Ian he would be exactly the same as them, so he knew it was him who needed to beg, and he loved his family so begging is something he'd do in a heartbeat if it fixed even a tiny part of what was broken.

When the silence that followed lasted for more than a handful of seconds, when Mickey's shoulders started to slump in defeat and Mandy's eyes started to well with desperate tears and Iggy had to bow his head to avoid all the emotion in the room. When Joey held his head in his hands for want of anything more he could possibly do and Lip instinctively tightened his grip on the vulnerable girl in his arms in a bid to distract himself from the overwhelming scene before. When, still, Jamie and Tony stood without moving or softening or speaking and Mickey's eyes started to close themselves off from the loss of his loved ones, that was Ian finally broke. Fuck it, he thought, fuck pussy footing around two bigoted homophobes, fuck letting Mickey suffer alone, or fight alone, or fall alone. Ian threw himself forward into Mickey's space and swung an arm around his shoulder, he then lowered the arm to rub at his back as he leaned into his lovers space and whispered into his ear that he was here, that it was forever, that he fucking loved him enough to outweigh any and all loss of family.

It wasn't Ian's break that got a reaction, it wasn't wasn't the physical contact between the red-head and their brother, it wasn't the whispering or the light touch of fingers. What set the two outcast brothers into reacting didn't have anything to do with the younger Gallagher at all in fact, and had everything to do with Mickey. Because as soon as Ian broke through his boundaries, as soon at the taller man touched him, spoke to him, invaded his space, all the tension seeped from Mickey with natural ease. He breathed deeper, focused his thoughts, he even managed a small, barely there smile. And that smile, despite everything that was going on, everything that was at stake, that smile was what brought the brother's back to life.

Jamie stepped forward harshly, one step, then another...

"I get it," Tony all but shouted, stopping Jamie's advance instantly. "I mean I don't get it, get it," the older boy mumbled, waving his arms about awkwardly. "But I guess I get why it doesn't matter to Jo and Ig," he compromised.

Jamie spun around in disbelief, staring at his brother like he'd grown another head. "What?" Was all Tony managed before Jamie had all but growled and stormed out of the house.

Mickey let go of a deep breath he had been all too aware he was holding. His every nerve was tingling with the hope that what Tony had meant was what Mickey had hoped he'd meant. As Jamie left the house some of that hope left with him but Mickey held on desperately to the fact the Tony was still there. Silent and contemplative, but still there.

No one dared move or make a sound, too frightened to break whatever delicate balance seemed to have been reached in this latest silence. Everyone was nervous, everyone was confused, everyone was quiet and worried and desperate for any sort of indication. But nothing came, Tony didn't move and no one else seemed to so much as breath.

 

-x-

 

Jamie stormed down the steps, shaking his head violently to rid himself of the thoughts he'd been having since the day he'd found about Mickey being a disgusting pervert. A selfish prick. A disgrace to the name. To rid himself of the thoughts that asked him whether Mickey was really any of those things, because in his head Mickey had always been the best of them. The strongest and the bravest and the most willing to die to protect the rest. So much of his anger had stemmed from the fact that his head was torn between which thoughts were right. Those which Terry had instilled there that said Mickey was vermin, less than street scum, no longer their brother. And those thoughts which he'd gathered himself, the ones made up of memories of Mickey and his brothers, always being there, always fighting side by side. The Mickey in that house was both of the Mickey's in his head, he was the one who took bullets for his family but he was also the one who Terry reviled as filth. How was such a thing possible unless Terry's version of filth was wrong, was different to his? But Terry had been his only source of education on the subject, only source of experience. How could everything he had ever learned be wrong, but everything he thought he knew about Mickey be right?

Jamie growled as he paced up and down the path leading to the house. He punched his hands against his head in an attempt to unjumble his mind. He scrunched up his closed eyes and pulled at his hair.

No he knew the truth. Terry was a lot of things but he was still a man. His father. And he was right, he had to have been right about this one thing. This life lesson that all of the Milkovich's lived by. The rest of it could be figured out later, the hows and whys and what nexts. This one thing that he knew for sure, this one certainty in a sea of grey, this is what he knew. So with a renewed determination, and a clear idea of what to do, for the first time in a long time, Jamie turned on his heal and stormed up the steps of his brothers house, that may as well have been a strangers place to him. He charged through the door to the still silent and unmoving room and walked straight past everyone who stood in his way. He pushed past Joey when he tried to block his path, he shoved off Tony's hand when it tried to pull him back and he maneuvered around Ian when he tried to get in the way. Mandy yelled something at him that he was too stubborn to hear, too set in what he had to do. He marched up to Mickey and punched him one last time, not holding back this now. He knew this punch would hurt, felt the crunch beneath his fist, but before Mickey could fall backwards or react in any way, Jamie grabbed a hold of his brothers shoulders and pulled him into himself. The hug was fierce and angry, over as quick as it began, Jamie pushed away from a stunned Mickey to yell so that everyone could hear.

"I'd never chose a chick over my family, I'm not fucking wired that way, didn't think any of us were. So this doesn't mean you're forgiven because fuck you for ever being willing to lose us! But Terry's right, there is only one thing we get to know for certain and that's what we've worked out for ourselves. Every other fucker lies and cheats, including him, but I know what I know and I know what I remember. Gay or straight, it doesn't fucking matter, you're Mickey. You're my fucking brother."

Without any other words or eye contact with any other person in the room, Jamie then pushed himself away from Mickey and turned to leave the house. Mickey stood frozen in place for all of a second before he charged after his wayward brother and slammed him into the front door of the house.

"Fuck you for ever thinking any different!" He shouted ferociously, before slamming himself against the volatile boy in another brutal sort of hug. When Mickey pulled back he held onto Jamie's shoulders and told him in no uncertain terms that he is not a Milkovich because Terry is his father, he is a Milkovich, and always will be, because they are all his brothers, because Mandy is his sister and he fucking loves them, unconditionally and unwavering, and if he's not forgiven yet then that's OK because one day he will be and on that day he'll buy a shit tonne of weed and a shit tonne of whiskey and they'll smoke and drink and catch the fuck up and all will be forgotten.

When his rant was over Jamie looked slightly taken aback, he took a moment to collect himself then smirked a truly mischievous type of smirk and muttered cockily, "OK, so go get the whiskey, I'll get the weed, the stuff you get smokes like shit."

Ian watched closely as all of the muscles in Mickey's body seemed to simultaneously loosen. The older boy all but slumped from relief, exhaustion, emotional fatigue and god damn happiness. The ex-con took a shaky breath in as a hopeful smile broke out across his face and disbelief turned to anticipation, turned to promise. His smile grew without his brains permission as his volatile brother stood in front of him without showing any sign of walking away again. Jamie dared a small smile of his own in fact, knowing he'd missed Mickey but not realising the extent of just how much until the second he'd embraced him as a brother again for the first time in months, and now all he could think of was making sure they built up their bond again, back to what it used to be. Because the one thing that was now clear to every Milkovich boy in that room was that they were brothers and they didn't want to be without that closeness ever again.

It was at this point, with that epiphany, that all hell broke loose. Mandy kicked Lip in the shin in order to get free of the stunned mans grasp. She hurled herself onto Tony's back and proceeded to strangle him from behind, albeit in a loving way with a smile plastered on her face. Joey jumped up to simultaneously punch Jamie (affectionately) on the shoulder and smack (also affectionately) a still struggling to breath Tony round the back of the head. Iggy, on the other hand, ran straight to Mickey and jumped onto his back, rubbing his head with his fist as Mickey tried in vein to throw him off. The once silent house was full of noise, awkward but honest laughter, sibling banter (insults) and choruses of "Get the fuck off me". Lip slumped against the door frame and pulled a much needed cigarette from his pocket, knowing he ought to text Fiona to update her of the situation but, for the life of him, not even beginning to know how to explain it.

Ian, who'd been standing stock still through out the whole exchange, slowly inhaled a lungful of breath, having barely released the air he had forgotten he was holding in. He breathed deeply for a few moments, desperately trying to collect the few coherent thoughts he could string together. He slowly walked backwards until his legs hit the edge of something, he hoped it was a chair because he immediately fell back into it. He landed heavily on the the love-seat in the corner of the room and exhaled another large breath. A familiar laugh reached his ears and he immediately looked to the source. On the other side of the room Mickey had successfully shook Iggy off, Mandy was now attacking Jamie who was apparently defending himself by trying to tickle her to death. Iggy and Joey were all out wrestling against the wall and Tony was awkwardly offering is hand to a still shaken Mickey by way of making up. Mickey looked at the proffered hand for a second or two before laughing outright and hysterically, Tony looked nervous by the reaction and immediately tensed when Mickey shoved the hand away and embraced his brother eagerly. Relief washed over Ian like a tidal wave when he saw Tony slowly relax into the contact, the big built Milkovich's face eased of its tension and he slowly raised his arms to pat, a little awkwardly, at the top of Mickey's back. Mickey laughed again as he pushed away from his brother and Ian couldn't contain the smile that eclipsed his face at the thought of Mickey finally having everything he ever wanted.

Ian wanted nothing more than to go over to Mickey and join in on the reconciliation, there was absolutely no part of the other man or his life that Ian didn't want to share with him, but he held himself back and allowed the man he loved to have this moment with his family, this moment he's been longing for and praying for since the day his brothers found out about him.

 

-x-

 

Soon enough Jamie left to pick up the weed and Mickey honestly didn't think he would be back, thought the whole thing had played out in his mind and now Jamie had left the spell had been broken and things would return to how they were. But Jamie did come back. And it was awkward. conversation was awkward and stilted, even with the alcohol and weed loosening their tongues. Ian and Mickey were awkward, not knowing when to touch and when not to, in fact Mickey had more physical contact with Lip than Ian. Jamie and Tony knew they were holding back, they all knew it, and it was an elephant in the room that no one dared bring up. Iggy demanded a tour of the house for the new arrivals, just to give everyone something to focus on. Lip got another probing phone call from Fiona, he had to actually threaten, and then bribe, and finally all out beg her to not come over when he let slip the events of the evening. Tony kept accidentally making gay jokes, or what could vaguely, almost, slightly be misconstrued as gay jokes if a person was feeling particularly snarky, but blowing the apology completely out of proportion. Mandy was the most unperturbed by the awkwardness, seemingly going out of her way too push her brothers buttons, making comments and digs as often as possible, referencing the fall out of the actions of each sibling and pitting them against each other in a very unhelpful but comical way. For their part Tony and Jamie tried to act normal, asked questions and answered them, took an interest in the safe topics, topics such as work or guns, or films Ian and Mickey may or may not have seen. Unsafe topics, such as relationships or family, the topics Mandy brought up as often as possible, were strictly avoided by everyone else. Then the night ended just as stiltedly as it had progressed, unsure handshakes and uncertain promises to 'do this again soon'. It was possibly the best night of Mickey's life.

Everything was finally in place. He had his family back, everyone that mattered, on both his side and Ian's. He had a reason to hope, from one day to the next. Terry wasn't coming back for a long time and he could finally breath a sigh of relief and let that sink in. There were no obstacles between him and Ian anymore, no tensions or reasons for resentment in the future. Nothing lost, everything gained. He laid down next to the man he loved that night, in their house, that all 4 of his brothers had now offered to help fix up, they were alone and everything was peaceful. They fucked, they made love, they laughed and they joked, then they fell asleep on the sofa curled up together, impossibly close and unapologetic about it. For the first time in his life Mickey wasn't even waiting for the other shoe to drop, he couldn't be bothered to worry about potential possibilities, content as he was just finally live in the moment. Because the moment was fucking perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> All chapters are up on FanFiction.net but they are a bit of a mess, unedited etc so i'll post them as quickly as possible on here, reading through and editing as I go. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading :D


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